poptimists | Ban this now!

So, since we were redecorating at the w/end, I spent too much time listening to Radio 1's coverage of their 'Radio 1's Big Weekend' (carefully branded -- Trevor Nelson was told off for referring to it as 'One Big Weekend' which was apparently a couple of years ago). Many many things about this whole event puzzle me.

1) Why are Radio 1 so keen on getting chart acts to cover songs by other chart acts (e.g. Corinne Bailey Rae doing Razorlight)? This feels to me like a wierd self-celebrating circle designed to reassure the listeners that they're not going to hear anything they don't recognise, confirm the legitimacy of all the acts -- since they all listen to each other they must be good, and to prevent the listeners being exposed to anything recorded more than two years ago. The result was that we heard Golden Touch about eight times in three hours, in its original version, in its live version by CBR, in its live version by RL. Grr.

2) Who actually pays for an event like this? I assume the record co.s pay for the acts to attend in exchange for the massive promotion they get (which means Radio 1 have to promote those acts in return i.e. playing tracks only by bands playing at the festival) or rather since the acts pay their promotional costs in the end, the bands pay to play. I assume there's sponsorship onsite to help recoup other costs (that valuable 12-25 demographic) i.e. the 'free cider tent' mentioned regularly would be Magners having paid to pimp their wares to the teens for free, but obv. it is the BBC so their name can't be mentioned on air. I assume Dundee council kick in something (maybe venue / policing for free?) in exchange for publicity and local income i.e. hotels and everything.

3) Should the BBC really be acting as the paramilitary wing of the record companies? Dick and Joel or whatever the chart show tosspots are say 'CBR's album still selling loads of units!': duh, well that might have something to do with your station promoting her all the time! i.e. induction of 12 year olds into a free music festival = welcome to the army of consumers of rock-capitalism, all at the expense of the license-fee payers.

4) Can anyone give me a reason to justify the continued existence of the BBC?