The music industry's campaign to put a commitment to music diversity into forthcoming radio legislation has won support in Parliament where MPs have expressed concern that developments in the broadcasting industry might stifle new music – some have suggested stations should have to commit to play a certain amount of music from local new bands. The MP's concern follows the Londumb campaign against the cancellation of key specialist shows on BBC London, and a cross music industry campaign that followed the release of the communications bill last year.
Labour backbencher John Robertson, MP for Glasgow Anniesland, led the call for music content to be regulated by the new communication bill, after being lobbied by former Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley who is leading a group of musicians worried that increasingly centralised radio stations will reduce the diversity of music played.
Robertson said local stations were "a crucial route to national exposure" for many artists, and surveys showed radio listeners all wanted to hear more local music. With that in mind he said he was looking for changes to the communication bill that "counteracted the potential of consolidation in the local radio market to undermine musical diversity and local character."
He was supported by Tory spokesman John Greenway who said: "Local bands feature prominently on local radio now. It seems to us unthinkable that 'local material' might be interpreted so as to exclude local music. Music is the mainstay of much radio content. It contributes greatly to the local content.”
Of course some would argue that such concern is ten years too late – while upcoming legislation will allow local radio stations to become more centralised, in reality most of the main radio groups' music policies have been run from a central national office for years.