The BPI has made an offer to BBC director general Mark Thompson to take the Top Of The Pops brand off the Corporation's hands and develop it itself.

 

In a scathing letter sent out at the end of last week to Thompson over the BBC's decision to scrap the flagship music programme without consulting the music industry, BPI executive chairman Peter Jamieson says a "strong body of opinion" exists within his organisation that there is still potential in the TOTP brand. This is "despite the damage done over the past few years - and, in particular, by some of the statements made about the brand over the past week".

 

"The BPI Council has asked me therefore formally to register with you our interest in developing the brand further, either in partnership with yourselves or even by ourselves," notes Jamieson. "Our members' reasoning is clear: if the BBC does not believe in the Top of the Pops brand, give it to somebody who does."

 

Jamieson's letter to Thompson - who was the keynote speaker at last year's BPI AGM - follows a BPI Council meeting last Wednesday when there was a lengthy discussion about the decision to discontinue TOTP after 42 years.

 

Jamieson says in the letter that the BBC has shown a lot of commitment to consult in terms of its own priorities, such as Charter Renewal, but "the BPI notes that the commitment to consultation seems to have faltered somewhat when it comes to TOTP". "If the BBC is genuinely committed to a dialogue with the recording industry, there is a strong feeling that we should not have been finding out about the demise of TOTP on the BBC website and by phone calls on the same day," he says.

 

Jamieson also points out in the letter British music enjoying a renaissance over the past three years, the Official UK Charts becoming "more relevant" since the introduction of downloads and the fact UK consumers buy more music per head than those of any other country. "Regardless of whether that programme should be called Top of the Pops or not, we feel strongly that popular music should be represented on the BBC's terrestrial TV services," he says.

 

Credit: Music Week

 

 

this reminds me a little of Dr Who in 1990, when the BBC decided to scrap it. A few production companies wanted to take over the production of the programme, but the BBC refused. In the end, even though the BBC didn't want to make the programme anymore they didn't want to give up any rights to an outside body either - it was a brand name that still would make them money. I'd imagine the BBC simply will refuse with TOTP and will continue to milk the name in a variety of ways, as it will still make them money.

 

TOTP2 is returning anyway, so I'd imagine TOTP will resurface somewhere along the line, perhaps as a continuing annual Christmas special with a series of franchise programmes, as the TOTP vaults are a goldmine.

TOTP2 is returning anyway

 

Is it coming back for a proper series or are you referring to the "special" episodes we get once or twice a year?

 

the TOTP vaults are a goldmine.

 

Do the BBC realise this? They've hardly gone out of their way to make money out of these archives.

 

I would love to see a "TOTP" channel (similar to "The Box" etc.).

Yeah, TOTP2 is coming back, probably in much the same way as it was before, but perhaps with the odd new appearance. Whether it is a season-long programme or runs 52 weeks a year hasn't been announced yet...

 

 

As for TOTP archives, the BBC will soon realise that they have a goldmine on their hands when they have a brand to protect. I'd imagine DVD releases of old clips would be a good place to start. In conjunction with a new TOTP2 it would be a money spinner.

I would love to see a "TOTP" channel (similar to "The Box" etc.).

As would I, nice idea.

As would I, nice idea.

 

think they were thinking of this at one point. the BBC had a UKTV Channel joint venture called Play at one point that was like TMF in that it had music thru the day and comedy at night. however wasnt a success and closed 4 years ago.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7e/Fshnm.gif

Yeah, TOTP2 is coming back, probably in much the same way as it was before, but perhaps with the odd new appearance. Whether it is a season-long programme or runs 52 weeks a year hasn't been announced yet...

 

I thought that the BBC2 controller disliked having TOTP on his channel which was why TOTP2 was "cancelled" (at least in series form anyway) so it's surprising to hear that it's coming back (a pleasant surprise though). TOTP2 had good ratings on BBC2 and must be fairly cheap to produce so was surprised that the BBC didn't exploit it more.

 

As for TOTP archives, the BBC will soon realise that they have a goldmine on their hands when they have a brand to protect. I'd imagine DVD releases of old clips would be a good place to start. In conjunction with a new TOTP2 it would be a money spinner.

 

There was a DVD release a couple of years ago. I don't know how well it sold.

 

I know that the BBC charges a fortune for artists to use TOTP footage on DVD releases which is why few artists release their TOTP appearances.

 

 

 

I wish UK Gold would re-run the full shows from the 70's and 80's again. I didn't have cable or satellite when they first aired them a few years ago.

totp should be kept alive,and i hope it manages to find its way back,i like totp 2 but would like the normal totp also

Good to see that TOTP future may not be over.

 

And i'm happy to see TOTP2 coming back which is awesome and should never have been axed.

I wonder if Steve Wright will resume announcer duties.

If he doesn't come back, i think Mark Goodier or Bruno Brookes would be suitable choices.

 

I'd prefer it to go to a Radio 1 legend over today's presenters.

 

I thought that the BBC2 controller disliked having TOTP on his channel which was why TOTP2 was "cancelled" (at least in series form anyway) so it's surprising to hear that it's coming back (a pleasant surprise though). TOTP2 had good ratings on BBC2 and must be fairly cheap to produce so was surprised that the BBC didn't exploit it more.

There was a DVD release a couple of years ago. I don't know how well it sold.

 

I know that the BBC charges a fortune for artists to use TOTP footage on DVD releases which is why few artists release their TOTP appearances.

I wish UK Gold would re-run the full shows from the 70's and 80's again. I didn't have cable or satellite when they first aired them a few years ago.

you're right. TOTP2 was cancelled due to TOTP being forced on BBC2 schedules. The controller cancelled TOTP2 in protest. Now that TOTP has gone, we can all go back to enjoying TOTP2!

 

I can't see the BBC giving anyone else the chance to use the name, but with a bit of luck that letter will cause the BBC some embarassment and encourage them to do something in the future with chart music and TOTP.

god the bbc have got so much useful info in their archives, its about time they did a 'history of pop music' using totp footage, then maybe people would see what lily allen was on about!....lol..

Yeah, TOTP2 is coming back, probably in much the same way as it was before, but perhaps with the odd new appearance. Whether it is a season-long programme or runs 52 weeks a year hasn't been announced yet...

As for TOTP archives, the BBC will soon realise that they have a goldmine on their hands when they have a brand to protect. I'd imagine DVD releases of old clips would be a good place to start. In conjunction with a new TOTP2 it would be a money spinner.

 

The BBC just doesn't seem to care. Look at all the old shows that got wiped. It's only from 1977 that every complete show exists.

If you go back to the 60s, there are only 4 complete shows left in the archive along with other odd clips.

In fact there are only 56 clips from the 60s still in existance including the 4 complete shows.

It's not much better from the early 70s either.

 

The 4 complete shows are from:

December 26th 1967 (2nd Christmas Show) (They used to show 2 shows at Christmas then)

February 15 1968

June 6 1968

February 27 1969

Edited July 10, 200618 yr by Euro Music

I just REALLY hope we still get Christmas TOTP!

I just REALLY hope we still get Christmas TOTP!

I'd imagine we still will! I can't see the BBC letting go of that. It might mean some acts coming into the studio to record a special song for the Christmas show, but I'd imagine they would.

 

The BBC just doesn't seem to care. Look at all the old shows that got wiped. It's only from 1977 that every complete show exists.

If you go back to the 60s, there are only 4 complete shows left in the archive along with other odd clips.

In fact there are only 56 clips from the 60s still in existance including the 4 complete shows.

It's not much better from the early 70s either.

 

The 4 complete shows are from:

December 26th 1967 (2nd Christmas Show) (They used to show 2 shows at Christmas then)

February 15 1968

June 6 1968

February 27 1969

I think they care, they just don't know (yet) how to sell the programme...

 

For example, the only surviving footage of The Beatles on TOTP is from an episode of Dr Who... the BBC spent many years dithering about allowing the footage to be used, until Paul McCartney and George Harrison told the BBC to release the footage, and it earned the BBC £750,000 for the rights. The only reason the BBC released the footage was because McCartney and Harrison were big Dr Who fans, but it took some convincing the BBC to use it in the first place...