BBC 6 Music facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
BBC Radio 6 Music

Logo used since 2022
London and Manchester
Broadcast area	United Kingdom and Internationally via Satellite and BBC Sounds
Frequency	DAB: 12B BBC National DAB Freesat: 707 Freeview: 707 Sky (UK only): 0120 Virgin Media: 909 Virgin Media Ireland: 912 Astra 2E (28.2°E) Intelsat 901 (18°W)
Programming
Language(s)	English
Format	Alternative/Indie music
Ownership
Owner	BBC
Operator	BBC North (Manchester) BBC Radio (London)
Sister stations	BBC Radio 2
History
First air date	11 March 2002; 23 years ago (2002-03-11)
Former names	BBC 6 Music (2002–2011)
Links
Webcast	BBC Sounds

BBC Radio 6 Music is a special digital radio station from the BBC. It plays mostly alternative music and indie music. This means you'll hear a mix of new and exciting songs, along with classic tunes from the last 40 years. It was the first new national music radio station launched by the BBC in 32 years!

You can listen to BBC Radio 6 Music in many ways, but not on traditional FM radio. It's available on DAB radio, through the BBC Sounds app, on digital television, and even by satellite across parts of Europe. The station also hosts an annual music festival called the 6 Music Festival, which travels to different cities in the UK and is broadcast live.

In 2010, there was a plan to close 6 Music, but the BBC Trust decided against it. They said the station was "well-liked by its listeners" and "made an important contribution" to music. This decision showed how much people valued the station. By 2018, 6 Music became the most listened-to digital-only radio station, with millions of people tuning in every week.

History of 6 Music

BBC 6 Music was first suggested in October 2000 as a "digital-only" radio station. It was originally called "Network Y."

The BBC 6 Music logo when it first started, used from 2002 to 2007

The station officially began broadcasting at 7 am on Monday, March 11, 2002. The very first show was presented by Phill Jupitus. Many famous presenters joined at the start, including Liz Kershaw, Andrew Collins, Tom Robinson, and Janice Long. The first song ever played on the station was "Burn Baby Burn" by the band Ash.

In March 2006, BBC 6 Music moved its studios from Broadcasting House to Wogan House in London. Later, in 2011, some of its presenters and shows moved again. This time, they went to new studios at MediaCityUK in Salford, near Manchester. Popular shows like Radcliffe & Maconie and The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show are now broadcast from there.

Plan to Close the Station

The BBC Radio 6 Music logo, used from 2007 to 2022

In February 2010, news spread that BBC 6 Music might be closed down. This was part of a plan to reduce some BBC services. However, this idea caused a huge reaction! Many people were upset and started a big campaign to save the station.

The hashtag "#SaveBBC6Music" quickly became very popular on Twitter. A Facebook group against the closure gained almost 180,000 members. Even famous musicians like Jarvis Cocker, who had his own show on 6 Music, spoke out to support the station. Fans even tried to get the song "Joy Division Oven Gloves" by Half Man Half Biscuit to a high spot in the music charts to show their support.

Five months after the rumors started, the BBC Trust announced that 6 Music would not be closed. This was a big win for the station and its listeners, showing how much it was valued.

How Many People Listen

BBC Radio 6 Music has grown a lot in popularity over the years. In February 2010, before the closure scare, it had about 695,000 listeners each week.

After the plan to close the station was announced, even more people started listening online. By March 2010, the number of online listeners jumped by 50 percent! When the official listening figures (from a group called RAJAR) were released in May 2010, it showed that 6 Music had over 1 million listeners.

The station continued to grow. In 2011, it reached 1.3 million listeners. By 2012, it broke new records with 1.62 million listeners. In fact, by the end of 2012, 6 Music became the most listened-to digital-only radio station in the UK. In 2014, it even had more weekly listeners than BBC Radio 3, another BBC station.

By 2018, BBC Radio 6 Music was one of the top 10 most popular radio stations in the UK when measured by how many people tuned in each week.

Awards and Recognition

Many of BBC 6 Music's presenters and shows have won important awards. These include the Sony Radio Academy Awards, which are like the Oscars for radio.

In 2006, presenter Marc Riley won a Silver award for Music Radio Personality of the Year. In 2008, the comedy show by Adam and Joe won the Broadcasting Press Guild award for Radio Programme of the Year. George Lamb also won the Sony 'Rising Star' award. Adam and Joe won more Sony awards in 2009 and 2010.

In 2010, after the station was almost closed, Jarvis Cocker won the rising star award for his 6 Music show. Two years later, in 2012, BBC Radio 6 Music itself was named UK Station of the Year at the Sony Awards. The judges praised the station for its "real passion for music" and how well it understood its audience.

Special Events

6 Music Festival

In January 2014, the BBC started a new music festival called the 6 Music Festival. It features artists who share the "alternative spirit" of the radio station. The festival takes place in a different city each year.

The first festival was held in Manchester in February 2014. Tickets sold out incredibly fast, in just six minutes! The festival has since visited other cities like Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead in 2015, Bristol in 2016, and Glasgow in 2017. It includes evening concerts, daytime gigs, talks, and screenings.

The festival returned in 2019 in Liverpool, with performances from bands like The Good, The Bad & The Queen and Idles. In 2020, it was held at the Roundhouse in London. The 2022 festival took place in Cardiff, and the 2023 festival was held in Manchester. It featured artists such as Christine and the Queens, Hot Chip, and Arlo Parks.

Presenters

Stand-in Presenters

Images for kids

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  A BBC Radio 6 Music studio in Salford