TODAY: Pete Wishart MP chairs a debate in Westminister at 4 pm entitled ‘Support for the smaller musical GENRES.’

https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/cda09d9b-cd79-4331-8f05-d871e3a1ff0b

Then it's off to OFCOM...

We don’t claim that Jazz, Piping, and Classical music have greater aesthetic merit than other kinds of music; our genres are relevant to society and the economy and are used as soundtracks to every walk of life, from education, film, dancing, celebration, and national identity.

Present at the BBC SCOTLAND in Glasgow last Thursday were:

Donald Shaw (Celtic Connections / https://donaldshaw.net/about/ Simon McKerrell (Piper, Professor in Media and Music at Glasgow Caledonian University https://simonmckerrell.com/music/ Colin Currie (Renowned Percussionist https://www.colincurrie.com Alison Thewliss MP (Vice Chair / APPJAG https://appjag.org/parliamentary-jazz-awards/ and little old me. In attendance from the BBC were Steve Carson (Director of BBC Scotland), Louise Thornton (Head of Commissioning), and Gareth Hydes (Commissioning Editor for Radio, Music and Events).

I began the meeting with a written statement setting the tone as we, the assembled, were NOT going to be complicit in the cuts to our genres and only contemplate future BBC support with our professional vision. 

“We are here as a group, united in representing Classical, Trad, Jazz, and the emerging Scottish musicians and composers of the future, because the BBC’s decisions on this group of programs that are affected ensure the BBC lessens their contribution to the “creative economy” and “support infrastructure”.

Talented, young, aspiring, emerging musicians and composers trying to get their foot on the ladder must have a “proving ground” on BBC Radio Scotland. They won’t now because the removal of Jazz Nights, Classics Unwrapped, and a dilution and redistribution of Pipeline are disconnecting a vital piece of the Scottish music “ecosystem and infrastructure” – And doing so at a time when the Scottish Government are spending millions just getting started with the tech industry. And there are parallels between Scotland’s “Chief Entrepreneur” Mark Logan’s Tech Scalar program that supports the infrastructure for start-up companies and what you, the BBC and we have all contributed to improving the Scottish musical landscape over the last 35 years. We all fought, dreamed, developed, and provided pathways and infrastructure for our emerging Scottish artists, and that impact and those inspirational success stories are set in history, although there is much more we can do in the future. But, unfortunately, we believe the BBC is failing and excavating a crumbling hole in the “infrastructure for musicians and composers”.

How will removing these vital programmes be measured against the BBC’s performance of aspects of the BBC charter around ‘creative industry support’, and who made the decision to cut the minority genres together, and was that decision made in a robust and informed way, with a clear plan for the future for those genres, and are there minutes of that meeting available through the Freedom of Information Act?”

Unfortunately, by the end of the meeting - it turns out that the BBC has already decided to cut these programmes in December 2022, no consultation from any professionals from the smaller genres, and it was evident there was nothing on the table to negotiate. Alison Thewllis MP said afterwards, “Jazz Nights, Classics Unwrapped and Pipeline are a significant showcase for Scottish talent, a resource that BBC Scotland should be protecting and promoting. Unfortunately, following the meeting, I am none the wiser as to the decision-making process and the rationale for these brutal cuts to Scottish cultural broadcasting. I urge the BBC to reconsider this damaging decision.” 

The BBC had no positive plan for the future, except for a youth competition (which we started in 2007); the winner will be left in a void. And there are sporadic tracks, most likely of the one-note variety, to be played on the afternoon show amongst chat, film, and pop culture. The Gaelic and English versions of Pipeline will be merged into one. How will that work? Classic Unwrapped, Jazz Nights, and Pipeline are all buried alive with so much life to give. What a tragedy! After an hour, we all left disheartened, as if leaving a funeral. 

AGAIN - TODAY: Pete Wishart MP chairs a debate in Westminister at 4 pm entitled ‘Support for the smaller musical GENRES.’

https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/cda09d9b-cd79-4331-8f05-d871e3a1ff0b