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| BBC 'axing 6 music' report claims | BBC 'axing 6 music' report claims |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| The BBC is refusing to comment on reports it plans to close two radio stations and scale back its web presence to make £600m in savings. | The BBC is refusing to comment on reports it plans to close two radio stations and scale back its web presence to make £600m in savings. |
| BBC Asian Network and 6 Music will be closed under the proposals, according to a report in The Times. | BBC Asian Network and 6 Music will be closed under the proposals, according to a report in The Times. |
| The Times claims the measures are part of a plan, due to be made public next month, to reduce the BBC's services and focus on quality over quantity. | The Times claims the measures are part of a plan, due to be made public next month, to reduce the BBC's services and focus on quality over quantity. |
| A spokeswoman for the corporation said she would not comment on "speculation". | A spokeswoman for the corporation said she would not comment on "speculation". |
| The Times claims the report is currently being considered by the BBC Trust, the corporation's governing body. | The Times claims the report is currently being considered by the BBC Trust, the corporation's governing body. |
| It allegedly involves a wide-ranging series of cuts that will make £600m available for higher quality programming. | It allegedly involves a wide-ranging series of cuts that will make £600m available for higher quality programming. |
| Acquisitions | Acquisitions |
| Savings will reportedly be made by limiting spending on rights to sporting events and reducing the money spent on imported TV shows. | Savings will reportedly be made by limiting spending on rights to sporting events and reducing the money spent on imported TV shows. |
| The BBC Switch and Blast! websites are also to be closed as part of a larger reduction in the BBC's web presence, the newspaper alleges. | The BBC Switch and Blast! websites are also to be closed as part of a larger reduction in the BBC's web presence, the newspaper alleges. |
| INSIDER'S VIEW Torin Douglas, Media correspondent | INSIDER'S VIEW Torin Douglas, Media correspondent |
| The Times report is very detailed so the paper has clearly been shown a BBC document. Whether these will be the final decisions remains to be seen. | The Times report is very detailed so the paper has clearly been shown a BBC document. Whether these will be the final decisions remains to be seen. |
| The report is to be considered by the governing body, the BBC Trust, and The Times quotes "BBC Trust sources" as saying they would like the Director general to impose even greater cuts to budget for imported programmes. | The report is to be considered by the governing body, the BBC Trust, and The Times quotes "BBC Trust sources" as saying they would like the Director general to impose even greater cuts to budget for imported programmes. |
| There could also be last-minute lobbying on behalf of the two radio stations said to be due for closure. A campaign to save BBC 6 Music has been running on Facebook for some time. | There could also be last-minute lobbying on behalf of the two radio stations said to be due for closure. A campaign to save BBC 6 Music has been running on Facebook for some time. |
| The claims follow a National Audit Office report criticising the corporation over its programme of major new building works. | The claims follow a National Audit Office report criticising the corporation over its programme of major new building works. |
| The "wide-ranging strategic review" at the centre of the Times claims has reportedly been drawn up by John Tate, the BBC's director of policy and strategy. | The "wide-ranging strategic review" at the centre of the Times claims has reportedly been drawn up by John Tate, the BBC's director of policy and strategy. |
| Director general Mark Thompson will reportedly announce the plans next month. | Director general Mark Thompson will reportedly announce the plans next month. |
| The Times states the BBC's budget for foreign acquisitions, which currently stands at £100m, will be cut by a quarter. | The Times states the BBC's budget for foreign acquisitions, which currently stands at £100m, will be cut by a quarter. |
| This could mean the end of such US TV shows as Heroes, Mad Men and The Wire on BBC channels. | This could mean the end of such US TV shows as Heroes, Mad Men and The Wire on BBC channels. |
| The BBC's website budget, which currently stands at £112m, will also be cut by 25 per cent. | The BBC's website budget, which currently stands at £112m, will also be cut by 25 per cent. |
| The Times says this will be achieved by halving the number of web pages and reducing its staff by a quarter. | The Times says this will be achieved by halving the number of web pages and reducing its staff by a quarter. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY6 Music is the only reason I have a digital radio. As far as I'm concerned they can cut back anything elseReada Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY6 Music is the only reason I have a digital radio. As far as I'm concerned they can cut back anything elseReada Send us your comments |
| BBC Worldwide will be ordered to divest itself of its British magazine publishing arm, the newspaper continues. | BBC Worldwide will be ordered to divest itself of its British magazine publishing arm, the newspaper continues. |
| 'Not rampant' | 'Not rampant' |
| If approved, this could see the Radio Times, Top Gear magazine and other publications put out to tender. | If approved, this could see the Radio Times, Top Gear magazine and other publications put out to tender. |
| Speaking to 5 Live, Guardian media columnist Steve Hewlett said the plans, if verified, could be politically motivated. | Speaking to 5 Live, Guardian media columnist Steve Hewlett said the plans, if verified, could be politically motivated. |
| The BBC has drawn criticism of late amid speculation that an incoming Tory government would seek to freeze the licence fee in 2013 and replace the BBC Trust with another body. | The BBC has drawn criticism of late amid speculation that an incoming Tory government would seek to freeze the licence fee in 2013 and replace the BBC Trust with another body. |
| "The BBC needs to create the impression that it's not rampant in terms of its expansion," said Hewlett. | "The BBC needs to create the impression that it's not rampant in terms of its expansion," said Hewlett. |
| "It needs politically to look like it's going back into its shell a bit," he continued. | "It needs politically to look like it's going back into its shell a bit," he continued. |
| Last year Mark Thompson gave a speech at the Voice of the Listener and Viewer Conference in London in which he said changes would take place after the digital switchover is completed in 2012. | Last year Mark Thompson gave a speech at the Voice of the Listener and Viewer Conference in London in which he said changes would take place after the digital switchover is completed in 2012. |
| THE BBC'S FUTURE Expect to see reductions in some kinds of programmes and content [and] a look at the current scope of our website Mark Thompson last year Full text of speech | |
| "Expect to see reductions in some kinds of programmes and content - a look at the current scope of our website - and a close examination of the future of our service portfolios once switchover has been achieved," he said in November. | "Expect to see reductions in some kinds of programmes and content - a look at the current scope of our website - and a close examination of the future of our service portfolios once switchover has been achieved," he said in November. |
| Earlier this month a BBC Trust review appeared to allay fears that 6 Music would be closed while saying the BBC should "strengthen" its appeal. | Earlier this month a BBC Trust review appeared to allay fears that 6 Music would be closed while saying the BBC should "strengthen" its appeal. |
| The digital station had "a distinctive approach", the review said, but "needed to grow its audience base without losing its unique selling point." | The digital station had "a distinctive approach", the review said, but "needed to grow its audience base without losing its unique selling point." |