Campaign launched to Save the BBC Asian Network

Our aim in creating http://www.savetheasiannetwork.com is to provide a single source for information as it unfolds relating to the BBC Asian Network.

The site provides real-time news from multiple cited sources including conventional media and micro-blogging sources like Twitter and offers people the ability to add themselves to a map of supporters and share their thoughts by joining the campaign.

On February 26, 2010 The Times published a piece titled ‘BBC signals an end to era of expansion.’ In it, they made public for the first time plans by the British Broadcasting Corporation to scale back its online presence and make cuts to subsidiary digital stations – including the Asian Network and 6Music. At this time the BBC Asian Network had already begun scheduling cut-backs – including cancelling both its Electro East and Pathaan’s Musical Rickshaw shows in time for April.

Just days after the story broke BBC Director General Mark Thompson went live on BBC News television and then Channel 4 television to substantiate the Times’ reporting – announcing that the conclusions of his summer 2009 BBC Strategy Review would indeed entail the closure of the BBC Asian Network, amongst other cut-backs across the Corporation.

Reactions to this news from within the BBC Asian Network have proven that Thompson’s plan was unexpected and sudden – staff distress has resulted in Union uproar at the prospective loss of hundreds of its members’ jobs.

Pending closure of the BBC Asian Network has resulted in widespread public outcry. People around the world are using online social media to express their takes on this situation and this website has been established to provide a platform for collating that activity.

Concerned supporters of the Asian Network can visit http://savetheasiannetwork.com/user/register and have their say plus add themselves to the map and spread the word about this campaign.

Disclosure: SavetheAsianNetwork.com is an Indian Electronica (http://indianelectronica.com) initiative, was produced by Design Guru (http://designguru.org) and has no official relationship with the BBC Asian Network or any of its staff.

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More information and how you can help: http://savetheasiannetwork.com/contact