Media Audiences
LESSON ONE
• Audiences are categorised and measured by RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research), which is the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK. It is jointly owned by the BBC and the Radiocentre on behalf of the commercial sector. Unfortunately subscriptions for the full service are expensive – but a lot of newspaper articles discuss the changing make up of the audience.
• This BBC download published in 2015 has a detailed audience profile for 2014: http://www.radiocentre.org/files/appendix_a___bdrc_bbc_r1_r2_audience_ research_website.pdf and this was published in 2015: Performance Analysis (2015)
• The BBC aims to reflect a diverse young audience for Radio 1; its Service License 2016 says it should be: reflecting and representing the whole UK population. BBC Radio 1 should play a part in this purpose amongst its audience, particularly focusing on the diversity of young people in the UK today. Its presenter line-up, music and content should reflect the audience it is targeting. The station should host several live events each year which connect the station directly with listeners that are not served by other areas of the media, particularly in ethnic minorities. These events should reflect the diverse range of music enjoyed by different cultures across the UK. Radio 1 should contribute to BBC Radio’s commitment to ensure that at least one third of relevant expenditure10 is incurred outside the M25 area.’ ( http://www.radiocentre.org/wp-content/ uploads/2015/10/Appendix-A-Radio-1-ServiceLicence-illustration.pdf )
TASK: Read the following information on Radio One's Audience. Turn each of the graphs on BBC Radio and BBC Radio One and write these down into your blogpost in note form.
Performance Analysis 2015
TASK: Read the following information on Radio One's Audience. Turn each of the graphs on BBC Radio and BBC Radio One and write these down into your blogpost in note form.
Performance Analysis 2015
LESSON TWO
Reaching audiences
People aged between 15-24 listened to just over 14
hours of radio per week last year - seven hours less than
the average adult, and 15% less than they did a decade
earlier, according to broadcasting regulator Ofcom.
Radio 1 is suffering because its core audience is turning
away from live radio. This is largely thanks to the arrival
of streaming services.
TASK: Read the following article and use the heading to write down the key information regarding Nick Grimshaw's viewing figures. See Why is Nick Grimshaw losing Listeners?
TASK: Read the following article and use the heading to write down the key information regarding Nick Grimshaw's viewing figures. See Why is Nick Grimshaw losing Listeners?
The Breakfast Show has been losing audience numbers
year-on-year since Grimshaw took over (see above)
but Grimshaw was brought in especially to develop
larger audiences in its target range of 15-29 and shed
the over 30s Targeting Specific Audiences.
Radio
1’s controller Ben Cooper has argued that the station
should not be judged solely on RAJAR figures. ‘Radio
1 is evolving with its young audiences as we live
through changing times for traditional radio, so it’s
particularly gratifying to see that in addition to around
10 million listeners, we have seen record figures for
Radio 1 videos on Facebook with 80 million monthly
views, and 1.4 billion total views on Radio 1’s YouTube
channel. You can't judge Radio 1 on RAJAR figures
alone – just as you can't judge a newspaper solely
on physical sales – you have to take into account our
digital innovations as well. I’m pleased that Grimmy
is doing what I’ve asked of him by keeping his young
audience happy and scaring off the over-30s.’ 90% of
the dip in Grimshaw's figures were from losing the
over-30s.
TASK: Read the follow articles that explain why Nick Grimshaw may be losing listeners.(Read more at A New Low for Grimshaw and Nick Grimshaw's Lowest Ratings )
TASK: Read the follow articles that explain why Nick Grimshaw may be losing listeners.(Read more at A New Low for Grimshaw and Nick Grimshaw's Lowest Ratings )
How the show uses social media and video content
to attract the target audience - see above. Although
the show has the lowest figures since RAJAR began
this reflects young people’s media habits. A source at
Radio 1 has said: ‘Grimmy is the number one breakfast
show in the UK for young audiences and that's all they
really care about. Teens are addicted to their phones so
you can see why Radio 1 does so well on YouTube and
Facebook.’ (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-41752088
)
TASK: Look at BBC Radio One's website and make a note of all of the ways in which they appeal to their target audience. https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1
TASK: Look at BBC Radio One's website and make a note of all of the ways in which they appeal to their target audience. https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1
LESSON THREE
Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Greg James
Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Greg James
TASK: Listen to Greg James’s show from last Thursday. I would like you to make notes and comment on the following:
- Which part of Radio 1’s Remit is being fulfilled in the broadcast.
- Audience Interactional elements.
- How they are engaging their target audience of 15-29 year olds.
Audience interaction
- The programme often has the audience on the phone,
choosing tracks and occasionally encourages them
to think they are producing a segment, choosing the
tracks for half an hour at a time.
- The ‘mates round the table’ collective presentation style
and mode of address makes the audience feel as if they
are part of that group of friends, talking about where
they went last night or who they saw.
- Social Media is one obvious way that the audience
is interacting with the programme, even if most of
this interaction is not ‘heard’ within the programme
itself it shapes the nature of the programme and
the involvement gains and keeps that audience. The
Radio 1 Service Licence 2016 is clear that this is the
whole function of their social media outlets; Radio 1 Service Licence
says:
- The Radio 1 website should be the main point of
interaction for the Radio 1 audience and echo the
style and content of the broadcast output. Listeners
should be able to view studio video recordings as
well as exclusive content here. Any news or sport
content which could exist on BBC News or Sport
sites, should not be replicated here. The station
should make an effort to source and link out to
external content which is deemed of public value
interest to its audience.
- The Radio 1 YouTube channel should be used as a
means of showcasing the best of Radio 1 and a way
to increase the audience for the radio station. No
more than one video should be placed on YouTube
in a single 24 hour period, unless otherwise agreed
with the BBC’s regulator. Every video should
indicate where and how to listen to Radio 1.
- Radio 1 should use Twitter as a way to encourage
audience interaction on matters of public value
and social action campaigns. Twitter should be
used to promote issues of personal, social, financial,
health or educational importance for the Radio 1
audience.
- Radio 1 should use Facebook as a way to
encourage audience interaction on matters
of public value and social action campaigns.
Facebook should be used to promote issues of
personal, social, financial, health or educational
importance for the Radio 1 audience. All Facebook
posts should indicate where and how to listen to
Radio 1.
- Radio 1 has a Channel on BBC iPlayer. This should
be used as a means of showcasing the best of
Radio 1, and a way to increase the audience for the
radio station. No more than one video should be
placed on iPlayer in a single 24 hour period, unless
otherwise agreed with the BBC’s regulator. Every
video should indicate where and how to listen to
Radio 1.
Although a bit out-dated this is interesting on how the
Radio 1 website was designed to encourage interaction
with the audience: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/
bbcinternet/2011/09/radio_1_1xtra_uxd_design_
home.html