I don’t know how many years it’s been since I started listening to the BBC Asian Network, but it’s been a while now.   I loved this station from the get-go for all the bhangra and the chat shows and the radio soap opera, and soon I was listening to it at work and downloading podcasts to take on the go.

And the biggest discovery for me was the irreverent pair Raj and Pablo and their weekly show about the Hindi fillum biz, Love Bollywood, and it became a staple for me.   I wouldn’t miss it for anything.   They have weekly call-ins from Bombay with Rajeev Masand for the latest gupshup and they also interview the biggest names in the biz.

I was saddened and concerned to hear that the entire BBC Asian Network may be shut down as part of the Beeb’s cost-cutting measures.

Given how large the South Asian community is in the UK, and how far back the community’s roots in the UK go, it seems terribly impolitic for the BBC to even consider doing away with the rich and varied offerings of this station.   It’s quite a distinction to have an entire BBC Network devoted to the community, and if I were Asian, it’d feel like a slight to see it on the chopping block all of a sudden.

If you’d like to learn the latest news about what’s being done to influence the BBC before they make a final decision, and find out how you can get involved, visit the Save the Asian Network website.