BBC 6 Music

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BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music logo
Broadcast area UK - DAB, Internet radio
First air date March 11, 2002
Frequency DAB
Live Stream Real/WM
Format Classic rock and Alternative rock
Owner BBC
Website www.bbc.co.uk/6music

BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's newest radio stations, launched on March 11, 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years.

It is only available via digital media - DAB radio, the Internet, various forms of digital television and across northern Europe via the Astra 2D satellite. The station plays "alternative" genres of music, including indie, classic rock, punk, jazz, funk and hip hop, and generally provides an alternative to the more mainstream, chart oriented Radio 1 and Radio 2. BBC 6 Music is the sister station of Radio 2.

As one founding premise of the station, many BBC 6 Music shows make significant use of the extensive BBC session and live music archives belonging to the BBC (including the impressive "Peel Sessions" put together by the late John Peel), which, in a rock context, can go back forty years or more.

There are also intimate live music in-studio sessions with contemporary artists, somewhat reminiscent of "unplugged sessions", on a number of shows, but especially in the 6 Music "hub" pioneered by the presenter Gideon Coe on his morning show, and also right in the broadcast studio on the Evening Sequence show with Tom Robinson.

Another founding premise is that there is a high level of live, on-air interactivity with the listening audience, both active and passive, making use of the modern technological tools available, such as the World Wide Web, text messaging, emails and the like. Listeners can frequently in vivo decide which upcoming songs will or won't be played on shows.

The station's presenters are generally regarded as experts in their musical field.

Contents

[edit] History

BBC 6 Music was originally formally proposed publicly in October 2000 as one of the new "digital-only" radio stations, and codenamed "Network Y" as a working title. [1] ("Network X" was later to become BBC 1Xtra and "Network Z" to be BBC 7). [2]

It was to be the sister station of the established analog broadcast rock and roll station, BBC Radio 2.

The 2000-2001 BBC Annual Report & Review to Parliament described the proposed station as "Focusing on the popular music of the last 30 years. It will draw on the BBC's unique archive of musical performance, concerts, documentaries and interviews". [3]

Pre-launch BBC descriptions of the station categorised it's intentions: "Bringing you today's most influential and iconic artists, essential album tracks plus classic sessions ... 6 music will provide a hip, credible music mix that's unavailable elsewhere on UK radio ... 6 Music is a station for people who are passionate about pop and rock music. Expect a rich mix of contemporary and classic artists". [4]

It also promised a hookup into the digital age in radio, with online music chatrooms during live broadcasts, in-studio webcams, etc.: "6 music will set the tone for the way we listen to and interact with radio in a digital world. As well as the ability to listen online from wherever you are in the world, 6 music will offer chatrooms run by presenters, in-depth debate on message boards, live chats with guest bands and artists, email and SMS communication with the 6 music team throughout the day, and a webcam view of daily life in the studio."

BBC 6 Music also promised that recorded classic live rock sessions from the past forty years of BBC sound archives would be a treasure trove for listeners and a unique feature.

It opened at 7am, Monday, 11th March, 2002, with the Breakfast Show presented by Phill Jupitus. It was broadcast from the BBC's Broadcasting House in London.

The original lineup of presenters on launch day included Phill Jupitus, Gideon Coe, Liz Kershaw, Andrew Collins, Tom Robinson, Janice Long, Chris Hawkins, Gary Burton, Craig Charles, Stuart Maconie, Brinsley Forde, Suggs, Clare McDonnell, Bruce Dickinson, Tracey MacLeod, Sean Hughes, and Bob Harris. [5]

[edit] Studios

In March 2006, BBC 6 Music moved its studios from Broadcasting House to newly built studios in the adjacent Western House. [6]

[edit] Awards

BBC 6 Music was awarded the Best Digital Radio Station of the year, 2005, by the BT Digital Music Awards (DMA). [7] [8], and in September 2006, BBC 6 Music was again nominated for Best Radio Station as part of the DMAs, the BT Digital Music Awards 2006. [9] [10]

Several of BBC 6 Music's presenters and shows have won Sony Radio Academy Awards. For example, just in 2006, "6 Mix" was nominated for The Specialist Music Programme Award, and presenter Marc Riley won a Silver award for The Music Radio Personality of the Year. [11]

[edit] Ratings and Listenership

Its listenership has been growing in number, and the February 2, 2006 RAJAR ratings show that it had increased its listenership nearly 50% in the previous year. [12] In October 2006, The Guardian reported that BBC 6 Music's listenership was again gaining significantly, and that the station showed the largest increase in listenership in the BBC according to the Q3 2006 RAJAR ratings. [13] [14] The BBC have reported that this has been largely attributed to Russell Brand joining the station in March 2006.[15]

[edit] Press coverage

In an article in The Independent, (London), 23rd May 2005, by Ian Burrell, entitled "ANALYSIS: RADIO: Lend them your ears", the author thus describes BBC 6 Music:

"BBC 6 MUSIC
Audience: 311,000
Expect: New Order, Blur, British Sea Power
A great station for the music cognoscenti, it has the feel of an indie record shop where they know every record ever made, who produced it, who played on it, what label it was on and who designed the sleeve. That's maybe why some women say it's 'too blokey'. Star DJs include Steve Lamacq and Bruce Dickinson. Liz Kershaw and Jane Gazzo try to correct any imbalance. The best thing is Dream Ticket, where you imagine you're at some of the greatest gigs ever." [16]

[edit] Station management

[edit] Presenters and shows

[edit] Past presenters

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ BBC News Release, "Licence payers consulted on new BBC radio and television services", October 2000.
  2. ^ BBC Annual Report & Review 2000-2001. Confer section on Future Plans: Introduction & New Services.
  3. ^ BBC Annual Report & Review 2000-2001
  4. ^ BBC pre-launch 6 Music page from February 2002
  5. ^ BBC 6 Music website list of presenters in 2002
  6. ^ BBC site about Western House
  7. ^ DMA 2005 official website
  8. ^ BBC press release about winning the award
  9. ^ DMA Awards 2006 Best Radio Station nominations
  10. ^ "6 Music nominated in DMA awards" on BBC website
  11. ^ Sony Radio Academy Music Awards 2006
  12. ^ RAJAR Quarterly Summary for Q4 2005, published February 2006
  13. ^ Plunkett, John, "Commercial gaining on BBC", The Guardian (UK), Thursday, October 26, 2006.

    "BBC 6Music was the corporation's biggest digital winner, adding 40.4% listeners year on year, up to 400,000."

  14. ^ RAJAR National Radio report - Q3 2006
  15. ^ "'Brand effect' boost for 6 Music" - BBC News, Thursday, 26 October 2006.

    "A 40% rise in listeners to BBC digital radio station 6 Music is being largely attributed to host Russell Brand. The station now attracts a weekly audience of 400,000, according to industry ratings body Rajar. 'It has been good for digital radio to have a star like Russell presenting on 6 Music. He really is at the top of his form,' said controller Lesley Douglas."

  16. ^ ANALYSIS: RADIO: Lend them your ears, The Independent, (London), May 23, 2005 by Ian Burrell

[edit] External links

BBC Radio stations
FM/AM: Radio 1 | Radio 2 | Radio 3 | Radio 4 | Radio Five Live
Digital: 6 Music | BBC 7 | 1Xtra | Five Live Sports Extra | Asian Network
Nations: Radio Scotland | Radio nan Gàidheal | Radio Wales | Radio Cymru | Radio Ulster | Radio Foyle
English Regions: BBC Local Radio
International: BBC World Service
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