David Cameron in the Radio Times. Actually, maybe not
David Cameron gives an interview to the Radio Times about the good old BBC today, but anybody hoping that the Tory leader is going to save 6 Music should give up hope now.
Under the guise of saying “I’m probably the most pro-BBC Conservative leader there’s ever been” he goes onto to accuse the Corporation of over-reaching itself.
The line from the leader of the Blues, with Murdoch votes to keep onside, is that the BBC has to “retrench a bit” which means 6 Music gets it in the neck.
Or in Cameron speak: “So while I might like listening to Radio 6 because it’s my sort of music, you can’t do everything.” In other words his argument amounts to this: it’s so good I like it – so it must go. Nope I don’t get it either.
Anyway, Beehive City readers looking for advice as to how to vote (and apparently now is the time for policy) can see a clear Red-Blue dividing line. It was Mr Brown who told the same Radio Times a couple of weeks back that the BBC should not have “succumbed to pressure” to propose the axing of 6 Music.
As for Mr Cameron, he says the final decision is “up to the BBC” but frankly, BBC boss Mark Thompson can take a hint. Or at least what’s on offer at the moment is that the Conservatives will allow 6 Music to die in pursuit of making the BBC a bit smaller.
It’s all a bit of a policy change on the Tory side from the glory days of Ed Vaizey, the shadow broadcasting minister. On March 1 he said: “I had no strong views on 6 Music on Friday, I now know it is brilliant with a passionate and articulate fan base – I am now an avid listener to 6 Music. I suspect that 6 Music has doubled its audience. I strongly suspect 6 Music will be saved.”
The junior Mr Vaizey must know better now.
The question though, is whether you believe that the pressure on the BBC to cut back will stop at Lauren Laverne and Jarvis Cocker once Cameron romps home/limps over the line.
The are certainly a few other BBC activities in Cameron’s sights — “magazines, websites, (buying) Lonely Planet”. A bit of a motley collection that; the Lonely Planet is obviously superfluous to the requirements of being in the public service telly game, but websites like BBC News online seem pretty fundamental to the modern BBC purpose.
Which suggests that 6 Music might not be the only sacrifice in the medium term — although for now, Mr Cameron is too polite to even hint at cutting back on BBC television including Lindsay Lohan’s BBC Three. Let’s see if that lasts.
PS:
Who cares, the Tory man man says he watched the agreeably demotic Neighbours, Going For Gold and Bullseye when at Oxford. No time for Brideshead on VHS then (do we really believe that). And I’ve checked too, he was at Oxford 1985-1988 and Going For Gold started in 1987 according to Wikipedia, which Cameron must have checked before giving an interview with the mag because who can remember losing their sense of purpose so much they watched Going For Gold?
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The Davros cover was just right for Call Me Dave and his fakeness.
So, just like all the rest of them then. If I felt that a single party had any intention of helping save 6 Music in any way, I would be much more inclined to make my way to the ballot box. And no, I am not convinced the Gordon Brown has done any more. He’s just been more tactful and/or had a more favourable write-up.
I wasn’t going to vote for him anyway, but it’s a shame I can’t give him a -1 vote for his ‘logic’ regarding 6 Music.
I used to watch Going For Gold just so I could shout, “You’re a c**t” whenever Henry Kelly asked, “What am I?”
I’m sure I wasn’t alone.
As for Cameron – his efforts to come across as an ordinary bloke make me want to puke. “My sort of music” my arse.
Good article Dan, though worrying.
What doesn’t make sense is that 6 Music is (a) cheaper in pence per minute than the BBC Digital Radio average and (b) fulfilling core BBC values by not having any commercial rivals.