UK Music, The Association Of Independent Music, the BPI and the Musician's Union have all sent last minute pleas to the BBC Trust, asking for BBC 6music to be saved.

In a statement introducing a lengthy submission from UK Music, which includes a case study of the support 6music has given Moshi Moshi Records, and contributions from PR firm Anorak London and indie label Full Time Hobby Records, the trade body's head Feargal Sharkey says: "It is vital that as an industry our voice is heard clearly, prominently and with determination. If nothing else, the BBC needs to understand that its current proposals for 6 are misinformed, inappropriate and, as an industry, not an option we are prepared to explore".

Also contributing, in her role as an artist who released her first single through the aforementioned Moshi Moshi and who only received radio play on 6music at the start of her career, Florence 'And The Machine' Welch said: "6music gave me so much support at the start, and throughout my career, and I think the BBC would be failing to support young and upcoming talent if they were to take it off the air; no other radio station is as committed to playing new and alternative music, it would be a huge loss to the airwaves".

Echoing Florence's words, AIM's Alison Wenham said in her own organisation's submission: "It is right that the Association Of Independent Music - whose member companies are the finders and incubators of almost all new British music creators, performers and entrepreneurs - should stress the importance of 6music to independent music. 6music is a radio station which has quickly established itself as pivotal in this process of talent development. Readily available data clearly shows mainstream BBC music networks' content is dominated by the major multinational entertainment companies - which suits these networks' daytime audiences and competes with commercial music radio. Without 6music independent new music has no national radio station".

Communicating major as well as indie label support for 6, BPI boss man Geoff Taylor said: "6music is exactly the kind of programming the licence fee is there to support - distinctive, high quality broadcasting that the commercial market would not provide. This is a chance for the Trust to stand up for the rights of the listener, and save a national treasure.  Signing its death warrant would not only let down music fans, it would fail generations of British artists who do not get played otherwise".

The MU, meanwhile, broke its response down into twenty points of fairly balanced arguing, concluding: "[BBC management's proposals] contains a lot that the MU can support in terms of an overall strategy and vision for the BBC, but we are concerned that some of the cuts and reductions in current services seem to be aimed at appeasing the commercial and political forces that want to see a smaller and weaker BBC that does not fulfil its high ambitions. We would urge the BBC not to fall into the trap of offering unnecessary sacrifices in order to satisfy those who will always criticise the BBC".

The BBC Trust's public consultation on the Corporation's strategic review, which proposes the cutting of 6, that other incredibly important radio service the Asian Network, and a raft of other BBC services, closes today. You have until 5pm today to submit your views, which you can do here:

http://consultations.external.bbc.co.uk/departments/bbc/bbc-strategy-review/consultation/consult_view

So, the BBC Trust's consultation on those proposals to shut BBC 6music, as well as a plethora of other services, ends tomorrow, making this your very very very last chance to protest.

As previously reported, former culture minister Ben Bradshaw said at a UK Music event earlier this year that he had been assured by the Trust's top man Michael Lyons that this was a genuine consultation and nothing in the Strategy Review written by BBC twonks was untouchable if the Trust believed management had got it wrong.

Much has been written since plans to shut 6 emerged as to why the BBC's only music-for-music's-sake service should be saved. As the Consultation deadline approaches, we summarise the argument in six sentences:

1. The UK has one of the most exciting, innovative and prolific music communities in the UK, contributing to ever expanding catalogues of great music across a plethora of genres; this cultural brilliance should to be represented by a truly eclectic media platform.

2. The commercial TV and radio networks represent only a tiny portion of this community, and do little to champion musical innovation, because the commercial sector struggles to monetise niche audience services, even when the niches together constitute a substantial number of people.

3. The BBC therefore has a duty to provide this truly eclectic media platform - and it does so through 6music - no other part of the BBC TV or radio network performs this task, despite the Corporation having an entire division with 'music' in its name (a division currently run by a fizzy drinks marketer).

4. The BBC Strategy Review is in part designed to placate the new Conservative government who are concerned about the Beeb unfairly competing with commercial rivals - but 6music competes with no one, and senior Tories have said they recognise 6 as an example of a great BBC service.

5. The Review is also in part designed to placate the commercial media moguls who accuse the BBC of using licence-fee funds to unfairly compete - but 6music does not compete with any commercial media, and shutting it won't placate any commercial player for even six seconds.

6. The BBC is committed to encouraging radio listeners to move to the DAB network; doing so requires providing compelling, innovative DAB-only programming - like 6music and The Asian Network - so the BBC's strategy review not only doesn't satisfy the aims of the Tories, or the commercial media barons, it doesn't even satisfy the aims of the BBC.

As the consultation deadline approaches, the Facebook group leading the campaign to rescue 6music staged a second demonstration outside the BBC's Broadcasting House on Saturday. Liz Kershaw, Cerys Matthews, Andrew Collins, Richard Herring, Shaun Keaveny, Matt Everitt, Lib Dem peer Tim Clement-Jones and comedian Ed Byrne were among those who spoke at the event, which - aided in part by the impromptu heatwave - saw an even bigger crowd of supporters gather than at the first rainy demo. After waving their fists in the general direction of BBC management, the always polite Save 6 protestors headed en masse to 229 for some quality music.

Speaking after the demo, one of its organisers, Georgina Rodgers, told CreativeBusiness: "We believe that our responses to the BBC Trust consultation, our complaints to the BBC, and our public protests have put forward a compelling counter-argument to [that of] BBC management. We have provided hard evidence that, rather than being a station that can be sidelined, 6music is a shining example of the 'quality and distinctiveness' that the BBC is aspiring to with its Strategic Review. We are now hoping that the BBC Trust will make sure that the BBC listens to the voice of the public, which has spoken loudly and clearly".

If you haven't already, you can add your opinions to the debate at the BBC Trust website below. The Save 6 Facebook group also provides a bunch of email addresses we can all send our outrage to as the consultation deadline approaches, just so the Trust geezers' inboxes scream out "Save 6" this week.

BBC Trust consultation form

Facebook Group

The axe may be hanging very perilously over BBC 6music just at the moment, but it's not all bad news for 6 fans. George Lamb is quitting the station. And his decision to go was partly motivated by the digital station's uncertain future. So, if the Trust do now save 6, the period of potential doom won't have been totally wasted.

Lamb, of course, was probably the most controversial hire at 6music, his laddish zoo-style show on daytime mornings not going down well at all with the majority of the 6 faithful. Once his champion at the station, former BBC Radio 2/6 boss Lesley Douglas, was pushed out of the Corporation post-Sachsgate, Lamb was sidelined to the weekend breakfast show slot. His decision to quit, therefore, comes as no surprise.

He said in a statement yesterday: "This isn't a decision we've taken hastily. We've been reviewing our situation for some time and we've always looked for opportunities to maximise the show's potential. I leave 6music with fantastic memories, and will always look back at my three and a bit years with great joy. [Co-presenter Marc Hughes] and I have been overwhelmed by the support we've had from the 6music management and our incredible listeners from day one. I wish everyone at the station the best of luck in this transitional period and my support for the station will always remain".

A statement from the Beeb read: "6music would like to thank both George and Marc for their commitment to the network over the past three years. We will miss their banter, tunes and air horns and wish them well in their future endeavours".

A senior BBC manager has left the Corporation following an investigation into how The Times got a leaked copy of the Beeb's big cut plans, which included the news 6music and The Asian Network would be axed.

The paper got a copy of the highly confidential and slightly secret document eleven days before it was due to be published. Once The Times ran with their story in February, the Beeb were forced to release their plans over a week early, and face a whole bunch of media backlash without their complete PR plan in place. BBC top man Mark Thompson was reportedly furious about the leak.

An internal investigation reportedly identified with BBC-er had passed a copy of the document to The Times. In a statement yesterday, the BBC said, simply: "An investigation has been satisfactorily concluded and an individual has now left the BBC".

Elsewhere, the record industry stepped up its campaigning against the proposals to close 6music yesterday by launching an artists endorsement filled website at www.thejoyof6.com.

6music is giving four c'lebs the opportunity to present one of its specialist shows, for reasons of which I am not sure. The Sun's gossip monkey Gordon Smart will fill in for Steve Lamacq on the station's 'Roundtable' music review programme; then Top Gear's James May will fill in on Bruce Dickinson's 'Friday Night Rock Show'; Ruth Watson, who does home refurb shows apparently, will take over Craig Charles' 'Funk & Soul Show'; and Matthew Wright will present the 'Freak Zone'.

6music editor Paul Rodgers says: "Celebrity takeovers are fairly commonplace in radio, but at 6music, we wanted to add a bit more of a challenge to the usual celebrity plus a bunch of songs format. We wanted to find people who were able to demonstrate their passion and knowledge about music on our specialist music shows. Quite a tall order but having seen the music our celebrity guests plan to play, I think listeners will be impressed".

Record label trade body the BPI yesterday issued a statement formally calling for the BBC to save digital music station 6music, which, of course, Corporation bosses want to close next year. The statement follows the previously reported industry delegation who rocked up at the BBC Trust earlier this week to try and persuade bosses there to block the Beeb's proposed radio cutbacks. 

In the industry delegation was Sony Music's Paul Curran, Universal's David Joseph, Warner's Jeremy Marsh, EMI's Andria Vidler and Infectious Music's Korda Marshall plus reps from trade bodies the BPI, UK Music, the Association of Independent Music and the Music Managers' Forum.

Yesterday's statement outlined the argument the music industry bods presented earlier this week. They argued that 6 provided a music service that could not be replicated in the commercial sector, and therefore the station is an excellent example of the BBC's public service mission in action. That the station plays an important role in the country's cultural life, by showcasing new and alterative artists. That 6 should be thought of as contemporary music version of Radio 3, rather than an alternative to Radios 1 and 2, and its audience size should be viewed in that context. And that putting the bigger 6 shows on Radios 1 and 2 would just see alternative music saddled with graveyard slots.

They also used the opportunity to complain again about the lack of a weekly music show on prime-time BBC TV since the demise of 'Top Of The Pops'.

Confirming the industry's support for 6, BPI chair Tony Wadsworth told CMU: "We cannot see the sense in pulling the plug on a successful outlet for artists, both new and established, that are not being played on either Radio 1 or 2. 6 Music has significant cultural worth and public value that you can't measure by audience numbers alone, and it provides programming that commercial radio does not".

The BBC's 6music has announced it is axing its weekly music news magazine programme The Music Week, which was hosted by the station's news editor Julie Cullen and her colleague Matt Everitt. However, plans are afoot to expand the amount of music news that appears on the station during daytime instead.

Cullen told Music Week (the trade mag, not her own show): "Myself, Matt Everitt and the team are expanding music news coverage to appear across daytime programming and keeping features, updates, tour dates, industry news and big interviews as always. We're also hoping to include more international news, tour diaries and features on brand new bands, so please don't hesitate to get in contact with all your usual press releases, interview opportunities and anything else that you think might be of interest to 6music and Radio 2 listeners".

Some wondered if the axing of The Music Week was a sign 6 was moving away from bespoke news content, perhaps in preparation for plans to wind the station down next year. But Cullen seems to be saying that, for the time being, it's "business as usual".

Talking of 6music and the Save 6 campaign, as UK music industry chiefs met with the BBC Trust to air their concerns about the 6 closure plans yesterday, the Beeb's head of Stuff And Shizzle Tim Davie denied those resurgent rumours that the Corporation may as yet u-turn on their decision to axe the station but rebrand it as Radio 2 Extra.

As previously reported, those claims resurfaced in a Sunday Times report last weekend, and basically say that BBC bosses are considering saving 6 but renaming it 2 Extra, so that it fits in with plans to only have five national radio brands.

But writing on the About The BBC blog, Davie said: "Firstly, let me make it clear that, while we have proposed rebranding Radio 7 as Radio 4 Extra, there are no such plans for 6music. But I should also explain that the proposals made in the Strategy Review are the first part of a process. The BBC Trust are currently consulting the public on those proposals and nothing will happen until after the consultation is closed".

He continued: "I [have previously] outlined the rationale for the closure of 6music and said that we will reinvest any funds from the proposed closure of 6music in digital radio content. This commitment to digital radio remains and we are looking at a number of ways of doing this. I said we would look at protecting some 6music programming by redeploying it elsewhere and considering how we can also do justice to its legacy in areas like new music development. This commitment also remains. But simply rebranding 6music as Radio 2 Extra is not one of our plans".

Gordon Brown has lent his support to BBC 6music and said that Jarvis Cocker, who presents a show on the station, is his favourite DJ. While, as with most politicians pulled into this debate, he stressed it wasn't his job to tell the BBC what to do, he did manage a bit of electioneering by pointing out that many reckon 6music is being cut in a bid to placate a future Rupert Murdoch-supported Tory government, who are likely to want the Corporation streamlined. His basic implication - the end of 6 is David Cameron's fault.

Asked if he supported the Save 6 campaign, Brown told The Press Association: "Yes because it's the next stage you worry about. The Conservatives have said that they'll hive off Radio 1. A lot of things that the BBC does are incredibly creative and quite risky - and this is a necessary means of us being a creative society. I want to safeguard the independence of the BBC and I think the licence fee is the means by which you do it".

He continued: "The licence fee is essential to the BBC. Any proposal to massively cut the fee or to strip the BBC of its independence - or alternatively, to remove its ability to make certain programmes - is a huge mistake. I don't think politicians should make that decision about what the BBC produces. I think the BBC should make that decision. I also think, personally, that the BBC should not have succumbed to pressure to cut certain things - but they have".

He was also asked, as part of a series of pointless either/or questions, to pick his favourite DJ out of Radio 1's Chris Moyles, Radio 2's Chris Evans and Jeremy Vine and 6music's Jarvis Cocker, to which he replied: "Definitely 6music. Definitely". Which is a shame, because up until that point he'd seemed quite sincere.

In a further dig at Rupert Murdoch-led changes in the media, Brown also said that he didn't think paywalls on newspaper websites, like that being introduced by Murdoch's Times, would work, saying: "People have got used to getting content without having to pay. I don't think you are going to be able to put things behind paywalls in the way that people think". Of course that is the same argument for forcing record labels to licence anything-goes P2P networks instead of supporting three-strikes style systems for stopping the free exchange of content only. Though Brown didn't talk so much about copyright owners having to get used to the public wanting their content for free in last week's Digital Economy Bill debate, did he?

In other 6music news, The Times last weekend reported on rumours that 6 might be saved, but will be rebranded as Radio 2 Extra to fit in with the BBC's new 'only five national radio brands' system, in the same way Radio 7 will become Radio 4 Extra. Radio 2 Extra would likely only broadcast 12 hours a day, instead of the current 24. These are not new rumours, though are being more discussed this week because of the Times report. 6 fans don't like the proposals, partly because of the cut in programming, partly because they don't want to be labelled Radio 2 listeners, even though internally at the Beeb 6 is already a sister station of 2.

As far as we know, BBC management are still set on cutting 6 completely, though they might be preparing options for if the BBC Trust block the radio station cuts in their review of the current cut-back proposals. But a BBC spokesman said yesterday: "We would like to clarify that there are currently no proposals for BBC Radio beyond those outlined in the Strategy Review".

When BBC boss Mark 'Tommo' Thompson recently announced he was axing his company's most credible music service 6music, he promised that some of the digital station's more interesting programmes would be moved to other BBC stations. We assumed that meant 6 shows would be dropped into graveyard slots on Radio 2, not the untouchable 'Archers' slot on BBC Radio 4. But that very idea was put to the test this week when three minutes of the music station was aired in place of Radio 4's daily soap opera.

Of course, this was more BBC cock-up than BBC strategy, though it can be hard to tell the two apart at times. Yes, a technical error meant that 6music's output crashed over Radio 4's early evening news bulletin and the first part of that night's 'Archers' episode. There was speculation on Twitter that pro-6 campaigners on the inside of the Beeb had taken part in some sort of sabotage, but BBC bosses denied that was so, and it does seem to have been, instead, a timely technical error.

A BBC spokesman said: ''Owing to a technical error, Radio 4 transmission was lost for approximately three minutes this evening shortly after 7pm. We are very sorry to listeners for loss of service. Transmission was interrupted for just under two and a half minutes at 19.01. An announcement was made on-air that 'The Archers' programme can be heard again at 2pm Friday 19 Mar and is available on iPlayer for the next seven days".

You can hear the glorious cock-up on the Radio Fail website.

Adam Buxton has announced that he hopes to return to BBC 6music with a new solo show in the very near future, before being rejoined by Joe Cornish for their Saturday morning show later in the year. How could they possibly shut down a station that offers all that?

Of the new show, for which a pilot edition with special guest Julian Barratt from The Mighty Boosh will be recorded this very day, Buxton told CMU: "At the moment it's called 'Adam Buxton's Big Mix Tape' (can't help doing the puns, sorry) and it's supposed to be kind of like a compilation tape that I've made for the listeners with a different theme or mood each week. The pilot Mix Tape is called 'Øddens' and features some of my favourite weird but accessible music by both well known and less well known artists. The show is two hours so it's divided into two sides with a guest joining me for an hour to add their own tracks and just talk generally about any other rubbish that comes up".

Sounds delightful. But we couldn't let him go (okay, I'm taking these quotes off the Adam & Joe BBC blog, but let's just pretend for a moment) without getting him to talk about his recent appearance on Channel 4 News, where he challenged BBC Director General Mark Thompson to a fight over his proposed plan to shut 6music.

Buxton told us (wink): "I was called upon to say my part on 'Channel 4 News' though apart from inviting Mark 'Tommo' Thompson out for some punching I didn't really say anything very useful. All the stirring and important stuff I'd been planning went out of the window as soon as I heard the man in my earpiece telling me we were live in five seconds. After that it was just a question of not weeping or swearing. I really meant to give Black Squadron a shout out but that was one of many things that got away from me on the night".

Oh, talking about 6music, the Bruce Dickinson rock show on the station has been axed. And Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie's Radio 2 show will be cut from four times a week to three, to make room for a new live music show. That is all.

What, four whole days without some 'save 6music' ranting? We'd better fix that. Let's do it by using the words of MP and former Culture Secretary James Purnell, who wrote a piece in support of the BBC service in The Guardian on Monday. The Beeb, of course, want to shut 6 to cut costs and placate those who criticise the Corporation for over-expanding and too readily competing with commercial rivals.

Purnell writes: "Whenever anyone proposes privatising Radio 1, the BBC rushes to say that popular music radio stations can be distinctive. That argument just about works for Radio 1 - but it's true in spades for 6music. If 6music goes, then how can they justify the much more popular Radios 1 and 2?"

He continues: "The BBC also argues that it needs to help commercial radio by closing the station (but Absolute Radio and XFM play a completely different playlist - there really isn't a market in this niche); that if 6music keeps growing it will become too successful and the BBC can't have three big national radio networks (so just keep it niche and distinctive, then); and that it's got a high cost per listener (but that's just what happens when the BBC does what it should do - a distinctive, high-quality service)".

He concludes: "The BBC says it has to show that the era of expansion is over. But closing 6music is hardly going to stop Sky and ITV from complaining".

Familiar arguments really, but given the BBC cuts are politically motivated, it's always good to hear political types express them. Purnell offers a more unusual proposal with regards where the Beeb could make savings elsewhere in their operations. "Axe BBC3" has been a favourite of the pro-6 lobby, but the former minister reckons there are easier and less dramatic ways that substantial cuts can be made.

For starters, he says, why does the BBC need two TV channels operating in the low-audience daytime slot? Pointing out BBC 2's afternoon schedule consists of repeats, quizzes and reality shows - programmes commercial channels already offer in that time slot - he writes: "There is no point in the BBC having two afternoon schedules in daytime. I'm sure there are good people making these programmes, but they could easily be on other commercial channels or on BBC 1. Rather than axing a brilliant, distinctive service, the BBC should close down BBC 2 daytime. BBC 2 costs more than £500m a year, 6music £9m - so there should be some extra money to fund the Asian Network too. That way it can much better achieve the goal of the strategy review and avoid offending all the 'indie dads' like me who prefer waking up to Shaun Keaveny than to the 'Today' programme".

The full article is here:
www.guardian.co.uk/media/organgrinder/2010/mar/08/bbc-6music-campaign

The BBC's chief Pepsi expert and radio boss Tim Davie has defended the Beeb's controversial decision to axe the Asian Network and 6music.

Davie, who became head of BBC Audio & Music in 2008 bringing, erm, zero seconds of experience in radio and music to the table, has blogged about the cutback plans amid mounting opposition to the proposals, especially in relation to music service 6. Davie argues that, while he loves the two services that are facing closure, it is right for the Beeb to focus its radio resources into making a smaller number of stations more brilliant, rather than spreading it out to nine national stations, two of which have only small audiences.

He blogged yesterday: "I do not believe that offering the current range of nine stand-alone digital networks is the right way to serve audiences and ensure radio remains strong in a digital world. And, while digital radio has seen growth, my concern is that current development remains slow. So we are proposing to reduce the number of stations and re-invest in our five core networks - Radios 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Live - and extensions of these services, while maintaining our overall investment in digital radio to use in a range of innovative ways to provide listeners with great digital content".

He continues: "But this strategy of focusing efforts on doing fewer things better also means difficult decisions. Clearly we didn't arrive lightly at the decision to recommend the closure of 6music: it is distinctive, much loved and I too am passionate about its output. But I believe the best way for us to provide that kind of programming is by looking at other ways to find it a bigger audience. While we are re-focussing on fewer networks, we will consider how the range of music played on Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 3 should adjust to ensure we continue to offer a diverse spectrum of new and UK music as part of our stronger focus on originality and distinctiveness".

CreativeStudent.net's sister publication CMU, the music business news service, has responded to Davie's remarks thus:

Of course, as someone or other I was reading about the other day said, the BBC is in a very tricky position, because while key players in the political community are constantly calling on the Corporation to make cuts, there will be vocal groups who speak out in support of any service or programmes that are axed in order to streamline the Corporation. And even those of us in the 'save 6' camp must recognise that the high volume of the support being heard for that particular station this week is in part aided by the fact some of its most passionate supporters work in the media, or are active Twitter users.

But then again, my two main problems with the BBC cuts proposals remain, and nothing Davie or his boss Mark 'Tommo' Thompson has said have addressed these two points.

First, both Davie and Tommo justify cutting services like 6 so that they can improve "quality" elsewhere in the Corporation's output. This is a clever rouse, because it's a justification that sounds good but means nothing. It also assumes that you get better quality TV and radio programmes when you spend more money.

While it's true that there is a minimum amount of money you need to spend to get good content (a minimum many commercial radio stations don't provide their programmes any more), the vast majority of BBC Radio's national shows are over-funded and over-staffed, with Radio 1 and Radio 2 the most guilty in this regard. Pumping more money into these stations will just mean they become even more over-funded, not that the quality of programming will improve.

Second, the aim of these cuts is primarily to placate critics in the commercial sector. Those commercial critics complain because Radios 1 and 2 - which compete with their stations - have an unfair competitive advantage because of the vast over-spending and over-staffing that goes on. The proposals of Davie, Tommo and John Tate, who wrote the cuts document, will actually make this imbalance worse and piss off the commercial radio sector even more.

While it can be a good thing to bring in expertise from outside the media into broadcasting companies, to ensure alternative thinking at the top, you get the impression here that the fact Davie, a former fizzy drink seller, and Tate, a former Tory Party twonk, know little about making good radio is in part behind such a misguided strategy being employed. Tommo is a former programme maker, but has his heart in TV not radio, and certainly not music.

So yes, us 6 fans are emotionally attached to a minority interest station, and we are using our media connections to kick up a bigger fuss than our number should probably allow. But CMU's problems with the plans to axe 6 remain unemotional - Davie, Tommo and Tate are just employing bad strategy.

The publisher of both Creative Student and music business news service CMU, Chris Cooke, this weekend wrote an open letter to Conservative Party culture spokesman Ed Vaizey, after the MP was quoted by The Guardian on Friday as referring to the leaked BBC proposal to axe 6music as being "intelligent and sensible". Cooke believes that closing 6music would not achieve either of the aims of the BBC proposals - cutting expenditure and placating the Corporation's commercial critics - but would instead result in a vital non-commercial music service being lost. His letter to Vaizey outlined six reasons why the station should be saved.

Cooke concluded: "I've been to many schmoozing fests where political types from all parties have stood up and told us how proud they are of Britain's music industry, which is one of the most prolific and successful in the world. But take a look at the telly pages in the Radio Times. Try to find the TV programmes representing the British music community on BBC television. If it wasn't for Jools Holland, there wouldn't be any. Now look at the radio listings. Even on the music stations, we all know the daytime shows aren't really about the music. And yes, Radios 1 and 2 have specialist shows, but they squeeze entire alternative genres into tiny time slots, mostly in the middle of the night. Surely the BBC has a duty to represent, showcase and celebrate this great British music industry of ours? Well, it does. Through 6music".

Noting Vaizey's regular appearances on Radio 4's political magazine 'Westminster Hour', he continued: "6music is to the music fan what Radio 4 is to the political community. The place where their passion - good music, new and old - gets the airtime it deserves, where informed and intelligent people can discuss the good, the bad and the ugly, and where the music of today can be put into its historical context. Is it perfect? No. Could costs savings be made? Probably. Should it be better promoted? Definitely. But to tell a music fan that 6music will close is like telling a parliamentarian that all of Radio 4's political output is to be cancelled. Don't worry, GMTV and TalkSport will pick up the slack".

Vaizey responded this morning by stressing that his remark that the leaked proposals seemed "intelligent and sensible" referred to the entire strategy document, written by BBC policy director and former Conservative policy chief John Tate, and not specifically the shutting of 6music.

He writes: "As I have been cast as the man who wants to close 6music, let me put my remarks in context. The BBC has undertaken a strategic review because it recognises that some of [the commercial media's] concerns are legitimate. I had no strong views on 6music on Friday, [but] what struck me as 'intelligent and sensible' was the recognition that the [BBC] website is causing problems for national newspapers; [the proposal to] cap the sports budget, so that competitors like ITV and Channel 4 can get a look in; a reduction in investment in imported American programmes, again so others can bid for successful shows, and so that more money can be spent on UK originated content. I decided to support the general thrust of the proposals in public because there are others who want the BBC to go much further in terms of reducing their service. I thought it would be helpful to the BBC to signal that their efforts - in trying to reduce the scope of some of their services - were recognised".

On 6 more specifically, he adds: "Several things have happened since I spoke out. I am now an avid listener to 6music. I suspect that 6music has doubled its audience. I strongly suspect 6music will be saved. I should emphasise that any decision on 6music is firmly that of the BBC and the BBC Trust. Also, one quote of mine that was not picked up is that this is the beginning of the debate - there is no reason to assume that what is proposed is what will happen. So, to sum up - I had no strong views on 6music on Friday, I now know it is brilliant with a passionate and articulate fan base. [But] its future is not down to me. And I remain firmly committed to the BBC looking carefully at how its services affect its commercial competitors".

CMU Publisher Cooke adds: "As a media owner myself, I agree the BBC should constantly review its operations and consider when it should and should not operate in markets where it goes head to head with commercial operators. But to include proposals to shut 6music as part of such a review just doesn't make sense. I think most people, other than perhaps John Tate, realise this is so and therefore I hope Ed is right when he says he thinks 6 will be saved. I've forwarded my six points to the BBC Trust also, to be added to the grand pile of other 6music support they have surely now received. Let's hope they do the right thing".

You can read Chris and Ed's letters in full here.

Meanwhile, CMU are following this story, and have reported on the various other people who have hit out at the proposals 6music be shut. You can read their coverage here.

So, 6music might close after all, if The Times is to be believed. Well, at least the guys who set up that 'save 6music' Facebook Group (which, actually, was the RATM Xmas number one duo, the Morters) weren't wasting their time.

As previously reported, rumours circulated earlier this month that the popular (within the music community) digital music service was facing the axe. But it seemed those rumours were based on the simple fact the service was being reviewed by the BBC Trust, the body which oversees the running of the Corporation on behalf of the licence fee payer.

But, as we pointed out at the time, that was just a routine review, and 6music ticks lots of boxes that will please the Trust. And, indeed, when the Trustees reported back on its review they said they were happy for 6music to continue to operate in its current form, but urged the station to better market itself, after research showed the majority of licence fee payers didn't even know it exists.

But, it's possible the original rumours stemmed not from the Trust's review, but from insider knowledge of radical proposals being developed by BBC management to dramatically cut costs.

The proposals, which The Times claims to have seen, are clearly designed in part to satisfy commercial media owners and Conservative MPs who say the Corporation has over-expanded in recent years, and is now far too willing to compete with commercial broadcasters and publishers, capitalising on the unfair advantage of an unrivalled content archive, media brand portfolio and financial security, all made possible because of the unique way in which the BBC is funded. The secret proposals also presumably prepare the Corporation for the fact a Tory government is likely to block any licence fee increase.

According to The Times, a BBC report will propose shutting down the Corporation's youth strands Switch and Blast, letting the likes of ITV and Channel 4 target the potentially lucrative teenage market (lucrative as long as regulations regarding what can be advertised to the under 18s don't get any tighter, of course). BBC's online operations would be cut down to size, potentially reducing the size of the Corporation's website by half, and budgets available for buying up foreign imports would be cut by £100 million.

And commercial division BBC Worldwide would be told to concentrate on selling BBC programmes and rights to international broadcasters - originally its core purpose - rather than dabbling in other areas of the media business, a move which would necessitate Worldwide to sell off its publishing assets, and maybe even its music rights business and CD/DVD distribution arm 2entertain.

But the real news for music people will be the report's recommendations regarding BBC radio. Radio 2 would be told to increase the amount of comedy and documentaries it airs in prime time, reducing the amount of music and celebrity content (actually a recommendation of the aforementioned BBC Trust Review), while the Asian Network and 6music would be canned altogether.

The Times says the proposals have been drawn up by the BBC's Director Of Policy & Strategy John Tate, who previously worked for the Conservatives and presumably has an insight into what kind of measures would placate BBC critics within the Tory top guard, who most assume will be in government by June.

Tate's ideas would accommodate a licence fee freeze in 2013, and make available another £600 million to be pumped into "higher-quality content" - the mantra being "quality over quantity", to overcome criticisms that the BBC has used its safe licence fee income and booming BBC Worldwide revenues to grossly over expand in the last two decades.

Of course, even if The Times' report is accurate, it is not known how much credence these proposals will be given by BBC chief Mark Thompson and his closest allies at the top of the Corporation, especially given Tory culture spokesman Jeremy Hunt seemed to be softening his resolve to radically reform the BBC at a Q&A with key media people in London this week, going as far as to admit the Corporation in its current form "sort of worked".

Tate's proposals for 6music and the Asian Network are likely to be most controversial. The proposals to cut back the Beeb's commercial operations, their website and their more mainstream youth output are all things that would directly satisfy the Corporation's commercial critics, not least The Times owner Rupert Murdoch. And an overhaul of Radio 2 would placate, to an extent, the UK commercial radio sector, who see that BBC station as their biggest rival these days.

But 6music and the Asian Network are very much public service-based operations that no commercial player would really have any interest in competing with. The fact only 20% of the people the BBC Trust surveyed had even heard of 6music is sort of the point, it's a niche service, and that's why no one in the commercial sector would ever go there.

However, while niche, 6music plays an important role in British music, given that ('Later' aside) BBC TV has basically shunned music programming completely, and prime time on Radios 1 and 2 is all about the mainstream. And, relatively speaking, 6music performs this role on a relatively modest budget. Plus, on a higher level, the station ensures the BBC has connections into the wider music community, and helps the station build up early-career archive content of tomorrow's big talent, something the Corporation is yet to capitalise on.

It's possible that proposals to axe public service operations like 6music and the Asian Network, in order to fulfil the Tory's cost cutting demands on the BBC, is really a bid to rally opposition against any government-forced downsizing. Though, I suspect that isn't Tate's aim. Rather, he feels there is a need to show the BBC is seriously considering cutting back its radio empire, and shutting the doors completely on two services is easier than downsizing the others.

Though, given the widely acknowledged excesses at both Radios 1 and 2 (who together employ more people to work on their breakfast shows than the entire workforce at a commercial station like Xfm), it would be very easy to free up the kind of money needed to run niche services like 6music and the Asian Network simply by bringing the two big BBC stations into the 21st century staffing-wise.

The BBC are yet to comment on the Times article, so it remains to been how serious these proposals are. I might go and sign up to the aforementioned save 6music Facebook page in the meantime. Just in case.

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=278123313911&v=info

So, the BBC Trust has completed its previously reported review of Radio 2 and its digital sister station 6music.

The routine review of the two radio services was undertaken amid increasingly vocal criticism from key commercial radio owners that Radio 2 has, in recent years, skewed its programming too much towards twenty and thirty somethings with music- and celebrity-heavy programming. This, some would argue, puts the licence-fee-funded Radio 2 into more direct competition with its commercial rivals, while failing to fulfil the station's public service remits to satisfy the needs of older listeners and fans of niche music genres.

In many ways, the Trust agreed with these arguments, telling Radio 2 bosses to increase the amount of speech-based programming in prime-time, to recruit more music experts over celebrities to present music-based shows, and to keep older listeners in mind. That was a viewpoint welcomed by the boss of commercial radio trade body RadioCentre, Andrew Harrison, who yesterday challenged Radio 2 chiefs to respond to the BBC Trust's criticism.

He told reporters: "It is now down to the BBC to demonstrate that it can raise the bar and start to offer a more genuinely diverse and distinctive service across all parts of the schedule. Comedy, arts, documentaries and specialist music are essential elements of Radio 2's required output, but for too long it has been able to tuck these away at the margins of the schedule in its inexorable pursuit of popularity over public service".

As for 6music, as expected, all those rumours on the net that the Trust might call for the station to be closed proved unfounded. Rather the Beeb's review called on the service to better market itself, to increase brand awareness and grow audience without spending any more money. I wish they would, 6music really is one of the BBC's best kept secrets, and while part of me likes that fact, both the Beeb and the music business should try to better spread the word about how much great music programming there is on there.

Footage of two 'old meets new' sessions organised by 6music and made available via your telly on the red button was watched 1.3 million times during the week it was available. The sessions saw Little Boots perform with Gary Numan and La Roux do their stuff with Heaven 17. The sessions originally aired on the BBC's digital radio station, before being made available via the Beeb's interactive service.

Radio 2 and 6music man Jeff Smith told reporters: "6music is uniquely positioned to curate performances that link the heritage of music to its future. The phenomenal success of visualising these two 6music live sessions displays the voracious appetite that people have for unique musical collaborations. Having the opportunity to let so many people access them through the Red Button allows a digital radio station like BBC 6music to demonstrate the distinctive nature of what it does and what it stands for".

As previously reported, rumour is rife that 6music might face the chop when a BBC Trust review of the digital service reports back in the next few weeks. Though, as also previously reported, said rumour seems to be mainly based on suspicion as to why the review was commissioned in the first place, which is misguided because these reviews are standard practice at the Corporation. 6music increasingly doubles up as the BBC's principle credible music operation, which the red button venture presumably proves, and one would hope that would go in its favour when the Trust consider its future.

Since the end of last year, and particularly over the last week, rumours have been spreading around the good old internet that the BBC is planning to close its alternative music station 6music in a bid to cut costs. So much so over 35,000 people have now signed up to a 'save 6music' Facebook group.

The rumours seem to stem from the fact the Corporation is undertaking a total review of the digital-only station. A review which, as previously reported, kicked off last April. But rumours that the review might result in 6music being closed seem to based on conspiracy theories as to why such a review would be commissioned in the first place, rather than any insider knowledge of what said review is likely to recommend.

But, as also previously reported, the 6music review is part of a wider and ongoing review of all of the BBC's operations - and Radio 2 is being reviewed alongside 6music in the latest stage of that work. The review in itself does not mean the popular music service's future has been questioned.

The Beeb stress that there will be no discussion regarding any service's future until the relevant review has been completed, which in this case should be later this month. A BBC spokeswoman told CMU yesterday: "All services are being reviewed at the moment as a part of the BBC-wide Strategy Review and [BBC Director General] Mark Thompson has said that the review will be announced at the end of February/beginning of March".

And besides, one assumes the BBC top guard are sensible enough to realise the bloody ramifications of getting on the wrong side of Black Squadron. Even if they have managed to distract the Squadron's leadership with Hollywood movies and mediocre sitcoms.

Andrew Collins and Richard Herring have been announced as the next guest presenters to cover Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish's Saturday morning slot on BBC 6music while they take time off to concentrate on other projects. The pair take over from Danny Wallace, who has been filling in since Christmas, with the first of their five shows broadcasting this weekend.

Says Andrew Collins: "Richard and I have been childishly jealous of Adam and Joe's success and immaculate speaking voices for many years. Now they have gone to Hollywood on the flimsy pretext of having some 'other work' to do for a bit, we are only too pleased to jump into their shoes and play with their loyal listeners for the next five weeks. We cannot promise any pets in the studio, but we will be drawing upon the unbalanced enthusiasm of the Saturday morning audience and hoping to create a genial, jumper-wearing 'Swap Shop' atmosphere, like Saturday mornings used to be, in other words. Also, we guarantee never to record a song. You have our word on that".

Collings and Herring will have to tone down a bit from the content that fills their weekly podcast. The stuff about having sex with tortoise shells should be fine, though.