BBC 6 Music to Continue as Radio 2 Extra?

The future of beleaguered radio station BBC 6 Music has taken an unusual turn with reports claiming that it is to be kept on and rebranded as Radio 2 Extra. As previously reported on Spinner, 6 Music -- the BBC's digital alternative radio station -- was earmarked for closure as part of the BBC's plans for restructuring in order to cut costs.

The news was met with a furious response from music fans who set up a Facebook campaign to save the much-loved station. The BBC Trust -- the corporation watchdog that will oversea public consultation over the planned closure -- has received over 8,000 complaints from angry listeners as well as high-profile musicians including David Bowie and Lily Allen.

An insider was quoted by the Times as saying, "It's a typical BBC fudge, compromise and, I suppose, solution."

It is understood that Radio 2 Extra proposes to limit broadcasts to 12 hours a day during the week with much of the current 6 Music playlist intact, but a BBC spokesperson moved to say that no decision had yet been reached over the station's future.

Hope still remain that 6 Music could continue in its current form. Sir Michael Lyons -- the BBC Trust's chairman -- has said he could order the BBC Director General Mark Thompson to keep the station open if there is enough of a public outcry over the proposed plans to close it down.

Ironically, 6 Music was last week nominated in seven categories in the prestigious Sony Radio Academy Awards.