Letter to BBC Trust

From: Ian Ferguson
To: trust.enquiries@bbc.co.uk
Date: 2nd March 2010

Dear BBC Trust,

May I add my voice to the masses outraged by the proposed cuts to BBC services. I am a big fan of the 'fringe' BBC offerings such as 6Music and online services. No commercial rival can provide such an eclectic and innovative range.

As a avid new media consumer, I use the BBC website and iPlayer considerably, and listen to 6Music regularly. I no longer watch 'live' TV, whether it be BBC or commercial, as the weak entertainment selection is no longer relevant to me.

If 6Music goes, and the BBC online services are forced to cut back, I will no longer be able to justify paying my licence fee. I already technically do not need to, but do so out of love for the uniqueness of the BBC and the importance I feel it has had in my upbringing and education.

I am greatly concerned that Sky and the Murdoch corporation are using their considerable influence on this country's government to replace key BBC services with biased, profit-based commercial services. Even if this was good for the British economy, it is undoubtedly bad for British culture.

If demographics help, I am a 29 year old white British male and quite painfully middle-class.

Kind regards

Ian Ferguson


From: Trust Enquiries
To: Ian Ferguson
Date: 3 March 2010

Thank you for contacting the BBC Trust, the governing body of the BBC, with your concerns about the future of the radio station 6Music.

As you may be aware, the proposal to close the station has come from the Director-General Mark Thompson as part of a wide ranging review of the BBC’s future strategy.

In July last year the BBC Trust challenged the Director-General to address questions about the scope of the BBC’s activities, focusing on how the BBC can most effectively deliver its public service mission and meet audience needs as well as deliver value for money. The full strategy, which is now available on the Trust’s website, is the Executive’s response to this challenge.

As part of his proposals to the Trust, which are focused on increasing the quality of the BBC’s output and setting a new direction for the BBC, the Director-General has proposed closing 6Music. The Trust is now consulting on all of these proposals, and we welcome your views.

We will of course take your email as a contribution to our consultation. Should you wish to know more about the overall strategy review and our public consultation, there is more information on the Trust’s website at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/our_work/strategy_review/index.shtml

To be clear, a decision on whether or not to close 6Music will need to be made by the BBC Trust and we will consider any formal proposal to do so very carefully.

Our consultation is open until 25 May 2010.

BBC Trust Unit