Aunty, aka the BBC, Britain’s once-revered national broadcaster, is shutting down two digital radio stations, as p2pnet was pretty much alone in reporting on Tuesday.
Axed are 6 Music and Asian Network, with BBC Switch and BBC Blast, two multimedia outputs aimed at teenagers, also facing amputation.
Protesting the 6 Music closure are UK singer Lily Allen and Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien, both staunch supporters of the organised entertainment cartel’s Three Strikes plan currently being touted by various governments which believe they owe allegiance to Hollywood and Big music rather than the people who elected them.
On the 6 Music closure, O’Brien has posted an open protest letter on the Radiohead site, and the Guardian has an ‘OpEd’ from Allen on the same subject.
However, given that O’Brien is a founder and director of the Featured Artists’ Coalition and Allen is one of its supporters, if not an actual member, he might well change his mind about arguing against the shut-down.
And Allen? Well, the last time she got excited, her hysterical outburst inspired O’Brien, and the rest of his pals on the FAC board, to do a complete about-face on their much-publicised decision to stand against the Three Strikes element of ACTA, an entertainment cartel scam.
Under it, national governments would become corporate copyright agents and ISPs, copyright enforcers against their own customers.
People accused of sharing with each other online could, at the behest of the corporate movie and music industries, be thrown off the net.
And all in the name of protecting the bottom lines of Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony Music, and Disney, News Corp, Time Warner, Viacom, NBC Universal and Sony Pictures.
Both Allen and O’Brien are claiming the 6 Music closure would adversely affect indie music and musicians, which is passing strange given that both have done, and are still doing, far worse by openly backing the Three Strikes plan.
However, their positions are understandable.
Once you get into bed with Big Music and Hollywood, day becomes night, black becomes white, and lies become truth.
Jon Newton
March 5th, 2010 at 7:54 am
I hope the BBC changes it’s position about 6 Music. They should rather shut down Radio 1 or 2 instead because there are already plenty of commercial stations that compete in that space. 6 Music is unique and by far the best station. Regardless of whatever stances Ed O’brien and Lilly Allen have taken in the past about 3-strikes or the FAC, saving 6 Music is still very worthwhile. I hope all of the complaints and petition will make a difference.