There’s a (strong and probable) rumour going around right now that in light of pending budget cuts the BBC is going to be amongst other things axing a couple of its more specialist stations, namely 6Music and The Asian Network. Now already the murmurs of discontent are starting to boil over on the social networks (#save6music is the most popular trending topic on Twitter this morning and there is already a facebook page with a rapidly growing number of participants).

Apparently 6Music is no longer a cost effective proposition, with an audience reach of 695,000 per week there is no question that the station was never going to threaten the big guns like Radio 1 but the remit of the station meant that it was always going to have a more discerning audience. The beauty of the station was that the DJ’s involved were first and foremost passionate about music and while the line up may have changed somewhat over time I like to think that is still the case.

While the station isn’t always perfect (and what is) I can honestly say that it has in the past 6music served as a real musical educator. I came to the station courtesy of Phill Jupitus and Phil Wilding’s breakfast show as well Jane Gazzo’s Dream Ticket which was always a quality listen to round off the day. Gradually the likes of Gideon Coe filtered into the equation and before you knew it my Sunday listening was dominated by the station (and to some degree still is, when that fuckwit George Lamb goes off air). Amongst the highlights for me now are Jarvis Cocker’s fledgling show which is a gentle delight as the last vestiges of a hangover begin to vanish into the ether. Stuart Maconie’s Freak Show meanwhile does a fine job in preserving the spirit of the late John Peel, not always the easiest of listening but its when you are ploughing the previous unexplored depths you often find the gems.

One of the reasons why 6Music and other digital channels may not have enjoyed greater success could be the general malaise around digital radio in general. Although you can now listen to the channels courtesy of the internet and your Freeview/Sky boxes the dedicated hardware has never sold in earth shattering numbers. Granted buying a digital radio is considerably more expensive than buying its FM counterpart. However I was always of the belief that if enough people adopted the new standard (which without doubt offers better quality sound and no fiddly tuning practices) then the price would have been driven down.

Sadly this has not been the case, which makes me wonder where this leaves the BBC with its once proposed plans to switch off FM broadcasts in 2012, maybe the old radio stalwarts with their dedication to FM will stand grizzling and shaking their fists long enough to win out against the (not so) new digital format. However looking more to the short term if we were suddenly to lose 6Music right now it would signal the BBC yelling a hearty “fuck you” to a sizable demographic. The loyal audience would gradually disperse, seeping back into the banal daytime chatter of Radio 1 and god forbid the horrors that are commercial radio.

That’s not something any of us want to happen…right, pop pickers?

Below there is a link to a petition to save 6Music, take a couple of minutes to sign in and sign up. Thanks.