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BBC Radio 1 have announced they are to reduce their live music and festival content by over 36 per cent following a series of cutbacks.
Despite the station admitting that live music remains one of the most popular elements of the station, Radio 1 is going to cut down sessions from 250 to 160 each year. Following the departure of both Fearne Cotton and Zane Lowe, it seems that there are major changes afoot. One only hopes that some of the more idiosyncratic live sessions remain: while we suspect the Live Lounge is going nowhere, it would be a real shame if the likes of Huw Stephens' excellent Piano Sessions were axed.
Also gone are the days when the BBC would have a huge presence at every UK fesitval. As BBC News reports, the station is going to reduce the number of live events from 25 down to 10. The BBC Trust have agreed to the changes, blaming the limited budget on the license fee freeze from 2010.
A statement reads: "We expect Radio 1 to maintain a range of genres and artists within its sessions, including a mix of established and newer artists. We are also narrowing Radio 1's quota for coverage of major live events and festivals so that it excludes special editions of live sessions, and includes only BBC and third-party live events. It will reduce from 25 to 10 events."
The trust also recommended that Radio 1 should do more to promote its advice and social action documentaries during the day and that documentaries should be shared between Radio 1 and 1Xtra. Most puzzingly of all the Trust complained that the BBC should work on establishing what is a new act in the age of the internet.
They added: "As the current definition of "new" music is becoming invalid, the BBC should work with the music industry to find a more appropriate way to define new music on BBC radio."
