BBC radio station six Music, that has been threatened with closure, saw its audience grow by just about fifty % in 3 months, breaking the million listener barrier. Director-General Mark Thompson has put the digital station forward for the axe, however it added just about a 3rd of 1,000,000 to its audience figures in 1 / 4 of a year. The music station is now one of the most popular in the UK.

The new figures from Rajar, the spectators measurement body, will supply a lift to campaigners who intend to convince BBC chiefs to rethink their method Review plans. David Bowie and Coldplay are among the musicians who’ve backed the station.

The fans spike comes days after the station won 2 titles at the Sony Awards. Presenter Jarvis Cocker made a plea as he picked up his Rising Star prize to keep the station going. The proposed closure was published in March and the resulting attention as glad-handers and musicians joined the protest has helped highlight concern. The new figures, which cover Jan to March, show the station’s average weekly audience for the period has increased by 47.2 %. Both six Music and Radio seven broke thru the 1,000,000 listener ceiling, the 1st time any BBC digital station has done so. Bob Shennan, Controller of six Music, declared : ”I’m happy for the entire six Music team on reaching the milestone figure of one million listeners per week.

”It’s amazing the station’s efforts have been rewarded in this way.” The figures come as more massive names voice their concerns about the closure, part of a revamp of BBC services which would also include the closure of Asian Network. Record corporate executives have just met the BBC Trust which is holding a consultation on the proposals to air their opposition. Brit band Coldplay announced on Wed. six Music ”nurtures and celebrates the music that has not yet joined the mainstream”. They added : ”It provides a critical platform for developing and left-of-centre artists, and its loss would be a major blow.”.