Musicians make radio diversity protest

Updated 16:43

A group of twenty-eight leading British musicians have accused the Government of failing to protect the music diversity of BBC local radio in its Communications Bill.

In a letter to the Guardian, artists including Paul Oakenfold, Coldcut and Lemon Jelly called on ministers to ensure "that the BBC deliver on its local and regional remit to support the arts" by playing a wide variety of music on its local stations.

"The current bill offers a great opportunity for the government to do something. Yet it seems deaf so far to our pleas," commented the group, adding that 68% of 15-24 year olds surveyed in a January opinion poll wanted to hear a wider range of music on general stations.

The views of the group, who had previously called for a change in music policy at BBC London 94.9FM after the station axed five specialist music shows, have also been backed by fifteen music industry bodies and MPs from both sides.

In a Communications Bill debate held yesterday, Labour MP John Robertson and Conservative Michael Fabricant stated that without music policy legislation, stations would be free to play similar mainstream music at the expense of emerging local musicians.

However, a BBC spokeswoman maintained that its English regional stations are committed to airing local arts through links with the Arts Council of England, stating: "Local radio has an extremely proud record of arts output."