What the BBC can learn from the Brits

Today the BBC announced the launch of the BBC Music Awards which will take place at Earls Court in London. The show will hit our screens on BBC One on 11 December, plugged as a "prime time event" with Chris Evans and Fearne Cotton hosting at the helm. 

BBC Controller, Charlotte Moore has acclaimed the ceremony as a "unique celebration of music in the UK" and awards will be given in three categories, namely British Artist of the Year, International Artist of the Year and Song of the Year. The latter will be decided by a public vote, while the two former prizes will be judged by a panel of broadcasters and producers from the Corporation.

Executives have insisted the BBC Music Awards will in no way rival or attempt to trump the Brits, which have been hosted annually at the beginning of each year since 1977. Guy Freeman, producer of the show, said "Just because it happens to be a music show on the television does not in any way mean it's the Brits. There are a million music shows on television that aren't the Brits."

In haste, the BBC has been totally dismissive of any comparisons made between their own new show and the ITV alternative. Indeed, with an audience loss of 6.2 million in the last decade and a half, it is hardly likely that the Beeb will be taking any tips from the commonly-controversial music show, which this year suffered heavy criticism for being, well, generally crap.

It is the painfully corporate approach of the Awards which has seen the show slated in recent years, with as many ad breaks as there are guests in the audience. Tolerance levels of James Corden’s arse-licking ran dry in 2012, and a growing investment in acts like One Direction and Justin Bieber and a lack of lesser-known British artists leaves many with a mere blemish of screen time. The Brits have lost their rock n roll edge – they have become tiresome, mediocre, predictable, and boring.

If the BBC are going to make this work, they're going to have to offer something unique and almost totally different. The event has already promised to focus on "music lovers of all ages who enjoy listening to music from across the BBC", rather than the "younger end of the market", and brands like BBC Introducing have already shown that the Corporation can and do appreciate the less commercial aspects of the music industry. 

For the sake of my music adoration, I would love to see this show succeed. But if "different" goes as far as the contrast between The Voice and The X Factor, I fear it won't be long before the same trap snaps shut.