Paper 2 - Radio Q5
Explain how popular music radio programmes target, reach and maintain a variety of their audiences. Refer to The BBC Radio One Breakfast Show to support your answer [15 marks]
Popular radio programmes target, reach and maintain a variety of audiences by meeting their needs. The private sector holds programmes that must use external advertisement in order to create an income like Capital FM. However, public sector stations featuring the BBC's 11, need to conform OFCOM's regulations and meet the Reithian values of inform, educate and entertain, in order to target, reach and maintain.
For example, BBC Radio 1 have a target audience of 15-29 year old's. This immediately creates a struggle because they are the lowest listening demographic with only 24% of them tuning in for live music. Instead, they favour streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify which allow them to create their own playlists instead of waiting for a single song to come on the radio. To help solve this problem, Greg James has introduced a slogan of: 'Breakfast with Greg James and You!'. This interaction with the audience acts as a substitute for those on demand apps. In addition to this, the BBC Sounds app was also introduced to create an on demand feel, providing previous broadcasts, best bits etc.
Once listening, the audience must be engaged enough to stay. To do this, James introduced a '10 minute take over' where audience members can send in song requests. It almost acts a competition to have some sort of feature on the radio and again providing that substitute for streaming platforms. Furthermore, the biggest names in music, like Lizzo, are interviewed and often perform for celebrity endorsement. These methods have clearly worked as listenership went up by 0.5 million since the switch between presenters Nick Grimshaw and Greg James. As a result, within the first 3 months of 2020, listenership went up by 1.3% which made it the only leading station to see an increase.
Since Radio 1 uses license fees rather than advertisement, it uses these spare slots to provide cross media promotion of their radio stations and TV shows/channels, showing their vertical integration. The Live Lounge was introduced along with various social media accounts such as on Twitter and YouTube. These provide user generated platforms to like, comment and share content that is distributed for those audiences that are moving online.
To conclude, Radio 1 have targeted, reached and maintained their audiences by tailoring their methods. Such as interactions in sections of the programme, demand-like sites and content across media platforms. Greg James has been able to adapt with the changing audience in order to still increase their engaged listeners.
For example, BBC Radio 1 have a target audience of 15-29 year old's. This immediately creates a struggle because they are the lowest listening demographic with only 24% of them tuning in for live music. Instead, they favour streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify which allow them to create their own playlists instead of waiting for a single song to come on the radio. To help solve this problem, Greg James has introduced a slogan of: 'Breakfast with Greg James and You!'. This interaction with the audience acts as a substitute for those on demand apps. In addition to this, the BBC Sounds app was also introduced to create an on demand feel, providing previous broadcasts, best bits etc.
Once listening, the audience must be engaged enough to stay. To do this, James introduced a '10 minute take over' where audience members can send in song requests. It almost acts a competition to have some sort of feature on the radio and again providing that substitute for streaming platforms. Furthermore, the biggest names in music, like Lizzo, are interviewed and often perform for celebrity endorsement. These methods have clearly worked as listenership went up by 0.5 million since the switch between presenters Nick Grimshaw and Greg James. As a result, within the first 3 months of 2020, listenership went up by 1.3% which made it the only leading station to see an increase.
Since Radio 1 uses license fees rather than advertisement, it uses these spare slots to provide cross media promotion of their radio stations and TV shows/channels, showing their vertical integration. The Live Lounge was introduced along with various social media accounts such as on Twitter and YouTube. These provide user generated platforms to like, comment and share content that is distributed for those audiences that are moving online.
To conclude, Radio 1 have targeted, reached and maintained their audiences by tailoring their methods. Such as interactions in sections of the programme, demand-like sites and content across media platforms. Greg James has been able to adapt with the changing audience in order to still increase their engaged listeners.
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