Thaindian News

London, Mar.15 (ANI): The BBC will reconsider its plan to close its Asian Network digital station, saying that ‘no decisions have been made.’

According to the BBC, the closure was originally approved in December last year by the corporation’s governing body.

This latest turn follows the BBC Trust’s decision of rejecting management plans to shut BBC Radio 6 Music despite a high-profile campaign was launched by the station’s supporters.

Mark Thompson, the BBC director general, announced plans to cut both last March.

According to a BBC spokesperson the corporation was “exploring whether the Asian Network should remain on the national DAB.” (A digital audio broadcasting multiplex.)

The spokesperson added: “No decisions have been made and any proposals will be subject to approval by the BBC Trust.”

A campaign to save Radio 6 Music launched last year, prompted many new listeners to try the station.

The Asian Network’s fate prompted far fewer protests and, unlike 6 Music, the BBC Trust did not reprieve it.

Earlier, the trust had told executives that it wanted to see “a proposition for meeting the needs” of the Asian Network audience “in different ways”.

But in December, it said that strategy review plans to close the station could go ahead.

Presently, the BBC is considering whether it should continue to broadcast a national digital station, with a smaller budget, following the recent license fee settlement.

According to the BBC’s original plans, the Asian Network would have been replaced by local Asian services, on radio and online.

Despite the threat of closure, figures from industry body RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research) showed the Asian Network’s weekly audience had increased to 477,000 in last three months of 2010. (ANI)