Statements of Programme Policy
6 Music Programme Policy 2010/2011
Service remit
The remit of BBC 6 Music is to entertain lovers of popular music with a service offering music from the 1960s to the present day. Its programmes juxtapose current releases outside the mainstream with earlier recordings, including music from the BBC Sound Archive. It should provide context for the music it plays, and support live music and new artists.
BBC Strategy Review
This Statement of Programme Policy has been written in light of the BBC Strategy Review. BBC management recommended the closure of BBC 6 Music by the end of 2011, focusing popular music output on Radio 1 and an increasingly distinctive Radio 2, using the resources released to drive digital radio. The BBC Trust is consulting on this proposal.
Key challenge for 6 Music in 2010/2011
Challenge: Successfully maintaining quality and distinctiveness of output throughout the BBC Trust consultation period.
- Retaining, motivating and developing key station presenters and staff in light of uncertainty over the service's future.
- Maintaining audience engagement and enjoyment, supporting the implementation of the strategy for the network radio portfolio, for example with the transfer of individual presenters to other stations.
Other programming highlights
Trusted guides
- The weekday schedule will continue to develop with the use of presenters both recognised as music authorities and having broad appeal, as in the case of Lauren Laverne, who took up her new role in November 2009.
- The weekend schedule has been styled to utilise two types of presenters: those with an existing radio fan base, such as Adam and Joe, and Richard Bacon; and distinguished musicians, such as Jarvis Cocker, Cerys Matthews and Guy Garvey. The acclaimed series Month Of Sundays, where leading musicians and other cultural figures showcase their musical tastes and influences over four episodes, will continue to be an integral part of reshaped weekend broadcasting.
Documentaries
- The station will broadcast more original documentaries in the coming year, enhancing its speech output. These will include two further editions of the occasional series The Record Producers.
Focus on albums
- The current Album Of The Day feature will be augmented by a series of Album Of The Day Plus projects, scheduled monthly. These will include playing most or all of a new work from a heritage artist, who may now gain little exposure elsewhere on radio.
- In addition to the tracks, contextual material will be generated including new interviews, archive content and the artist curating a programme that explores their musical influences.
- Where possible, artists will be invited to perform their new album live, in full, in front of an audience either at Maida Vale or in the Radio Theatre. Artists likely to be reflected in the coming year include Paul Weller and Massive Attack.
Music events
We will promote a number of seasons and on-air events that will provide high-quality content and are designed to engage the audience in a digital conversation. These will include:
- Back To The Phuture, a personal view of the alternative music of the Eighties provided by industry commentator Mark Jones.
- The station will celebrate the work of independent music labels with a day devoted to their artists on July 4th, US Independence Day.
- The 15th anniversary of the peak of one of the more significant music movements in UK pop music, Britpop, is marked with a Bank Holiday special reuniting Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley, early champions of the emerging genre.
Conditions: BBC purposes and 6 Music commitments
The commitments stated below are subject to change as a result of the current review of performance against public purposes conducted by the BBC Trust.
Unless otherwise stated, all commitments are minimum hours or percentages and include originations, repeats and acquisitions. All conditions are annual unless otherwise stated.
Stimulating creativity and cultural excellence
- 50% of music to be over four years old.
- 400 hours of archive concert performances.
- 15% of music to be concert tracks and sessions from the BBC's archive.
- 275 new sessions (excluding repeats and acquisitions).
- Contribute to BBC Radio's commitment to commission at least 10% of eligible hours of output from independent producers.
Promoting education and learning
- 10 hours of speech-based features, documentaries and essays each week.
Sustaining citizenship and civil society
- 6 hours of news each week.
