The Director of BBC Radio has leapt to the defence of Radio 1 and Radio 2 amid concerns that output could be cut.
Helen Boaden, the hapless executive at the helm of BBC News during damaging Savile cover-up allegations, said that the stations offered "invaluable support to the UK music industry".
Her comments came only a day after the Government began a comprehensive review of BBC services, prior to the renewal of the Corporation's Royal Charter on 1st January 2017.
The Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale MP, is keen to see a BBC fit-for-purpose in the digital age where the consumer has much more choice that at the start of the current Charter period.
The Government has highlighted that Radio 1 and Radio 2 have a sizeable audience crossover and lack the individuality of smaller national stations like 6 Music. Radio 2 is the BBC's largest national station, with a weekly reach of just over 15m listeners.
According to Boaden, less than 10% of the tracks played on Radio 1 can be heard on its closest commercial equivalent, Capital, and around 60% of songs played on Radio 2 were not heard on any comparable commercial station.
The Controller of BBC Radio 1, Ben Cooper, said: "I am concerned that we are being used as poster boys for the green paper, but I believe we have the strongest arguments to clearly lay out to both listeners and opinion-formers that we are an integral part of the cultural landscape of this country.
"I’m really surprised they chose Radio 1 and Radio 2 to focus on. I have spent three and a half years refocusing the station to represent youth culture in the UK."
Boaden has called on BBC Radio listeners to add their voice to the debate.