To: Radio 1, Kiss FM, Capital Radio and other mainstream stations,
For far too long the BBC Radio 1 Playlist has determined the success or failure of music single in the UK. As a national radio station, most regional radio stations around the country base their record playlist on that of Radio 1. If Radio 1 does not playlist a single, it does not receive daytime exposure and is unlikely to do well in the national charts.
Playlists
There are 55 records on the Radio 1 playlist, divided into three lists: the A List, B List and C List. The records rotate on the station's output 17 hours a day. The "A List" records are played more often than "B List" records, and so on.
Every Wednesday afternoon, a group of people debate over which records should be put on or removed from the playlist. With over 200 releases each week, this is a thankless task. However, while this task is difficult, it is clear that the list is influenced by factors other than the music itself. For example, some artists will have their singles playlisted based on their previous successes or their ‘commercial appeal’, be that good looks, youth or other factors that the playlist committee deem to be more important than the music. It seems insane that, in a democracy, a group of unelected people should decided what millions listen to every day…
While Radio 1 pride themselves on breaking new urban music, through their specialist shows, and boast a talented roster of urban DJs, they are also guilty of playlisting cover versions by (what many regard as) mediocre/novelty artists rather than original material by talented artists.
The current playlist section procedure employed by Radio 1 and many other leading stations, including Kiss FM and Capital Radio, discriminates against urban music, which results in many quality urban music records achieving surprisingly low chart positions when they are released nation-wide.
BBC Conspiracy Theory
It is rumoured that the BBC created 1xtra to allow Radio 1 to remove urban music from their playlist. The BBC plans to move all their urban music to 1xtra and corner the urban pirate radio market in the UK.
The wheels are already in motion. 1xtra has recruited some of urban music’s best and most respected DJs from pirate radio and the club scene. While Radio 1 has always restricted the number of urban music singles on their playlist, since the launch of 1xtra, the restrictions are even more evident. For example, Radio 1 has refused to playlist “Jump Up” by Just 4 Jokes, viewed by many music critics as THE summer anthem of 2002. It is only a matter of time before Radio 1 remove their specialist shows and relegate their urban DJs to 1xtra.
PETITION
As Radio 1 daytime airplay is the most influential factor in determining the success of a single, it is their responsibility, as a national institution, to ensure that their playlist selection process is as fair as possible. Kiss FM and Capital Radio are also guilty of using a ‘questionable’ playlist selection process.
Please help us to change this unfair playlist selection process by signing this petition so that urban music singles, such as “Jump Up” by Just 4 Jokes, can get the exposure it deserves.
We the people formally request that Radio 1, Kiss 100 FM, Capital Radio and other stations should revise their playlist selection process to ensure that:
* their playlists are based upon the individual quality of each single and not the marketability of the artist(s);
* the playlist selection committee does not restrict the number of singles from any genre - good music is good music;
* the playlist selection committee consists of [or consults] respected specialist DJs from each music genre. Ideally, this committee should be elected by the people;
* a single is removed from the music playlist as soon as it has peaked in the national charts so that new singles can also receive exposure;
* quality urban music singles, such as “Jump Up” by Just 4 Jokes, get the exposure they deserve.
www.petitiononline.com/radio/petition.html



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