Save Mix 96! Petitions and campaign group spring up after news that beloved local station is to merge with national network

Save Mix 96! That is the rallying cry from Aylesbury local radio fans and councillors alike after it was announced that the station is to merge with the Hits Radio Network.
The Mix96 teamThe Mix96 team
The Mix96 team

A Facebook campaign, started by local mum Amy Scullard, has so far attracted nearly 4,000 members and two petitions calling for the station to be saved from the national merger are going strong.

The first petition was started by Aylesbury's Liberal Democrat group, and a second petition by the Save Mix 96 Facebook campaign.

Signatures from both petitions will be counted and collectively handed to Baur Media, which plans to turn Mix 96 into a subsidiary of Greatest Hits Radio, a move puts jobs at risk and threatens its locally-based output.

Mix96Mix96
Mix96

Amy, who says that the 'constant' of Mix 96 kept her going while her young son was being treated for cancer, said: "I remember the launch of Mix 96, it was always on in the background and in the car when I was growing up.

"I remember ringing in when we saw the Mix 96 hot air balloon and when I knew the mystery year. We had a Mix 96 car sticker.

"So the station has pretty much always been there for me.

"It is a station that feels like a reassuring constant, in such uncertain times the djs are still there, their bubbly-selves with their banter. I feel like they actually care about their community and are there to listen to us."

She added: "There are just so many reasons why Mix 96 means so much to me and I was gutted to hear we would be losing such a massive local support, the heart of our community that I felt strongly we needed to fight to keep the station."

Amy's sentiments have been echoed by Aylesbury Town Council, with members voting unanimously to write to Bauer Media appealing against the merger decision.

Richard Lloyd, leader of the town council, said: "As leader of the town council we know from our surveys and event numbers that they are all more successful when we work with Mix96 on promoting them and we then in turn promote them using the brilliant Street Stars.

"They have also taken on the second stage at Parklife and that relationship has gone from strength to strength in recent years.

"The timing also couldn't be worse, as what we’ve experienced in the lockdown is just how vital that local community is to the town, Mix96 are the connection that we can all still maintain with the town and our community.

"To remove that link at a stroke will be to the detriment of all of us."

Mix 96 also provides local news, and together with the Herald we are the first line of defence in holding those in power to account for local people.

Bucks Herald editor Hayley O'Keeffe said: "Local media is the way that local people get to hear about the news that directly affects them. And during these unprecedented times we are all at the forefront of telling you the information that matters where you live.

"It would be a tragedy if local news output on the radio was to change as a result of this merger, it would be a line of defence lost with regards to local democracy and the people of Aylesbury Vale would be less represented, those in authority less challenged.

"The Bucks Herald stands with Mix 96, and we hope that Bauer listens to these campaigning voices, takes note of the signatures on the petitions and stops this plan in its tracks."

To sign the petition go to https://www.change.org/savemix96radio