Radio Audiences and Technology

Essay

Since BBC radio 1 first aired, its biggest aim has been to encourage a larger audience interaction and popularity. The shows intended target audience is 15-29 year olds, however this differs slightly according to what is happening on the show. For example, the majority of content consists of popular/requested music tracks and interviews/casual chat with popular celebrities or current personalities. The arrival of Nick Grimshaw was hoped to bring in an even larger amount of listeners to the show (especially due to his celebrity status and connection to younger audiences), however Grimshaw's appearance as the show's new host brought only a heavy rating fall… leading to the search for a new host for 2018.

The Radio One breakfast show was put in place to encourage audience interaction by involving audience participating quizzes and games. This includes the show's famous 'pass the pasty' which enables listeners to call in and answer or even talk directly to the DJ. This results in a closer relationship between the listeners and the show's team. Radio One also hosts numerous competitions throughout the year, in which prizes such as tickets to the Super bowl, or popular concert can be won. This allows Radio One to gain popularity and interest around the show, due to people wishing to participate in the giveaway. The Breakfast show reaches out to its daily audience via many different platforms…Its most popular being the radio show. This Air can be hear across different media hosts such as a car/home radio, the BBC website, Radio One App, TV station and computers. However a good WIFI connection is always needed to access the show on your phone/app. On Radio One's social media platforms, The shows DJ is frequently active, allowing audience/listeners to find out live updates and join in with any activities. The most popular and followed platform for Radio 1 is Youtube, on which they have 5.5 million subscribers, and more listeners daily. Radio One upload an average of 6/7 videos per week, consisting of a wide variety of content… from channel activities and crew footage, to interviews and collaboration videos featuring popular guest stars. Across Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, the station shares behind the scene videos/photos to distribute and advertise the show's uniqueness.The Show attracts an average of 7.14 million listeners per week (with Greg James as host) compared to 5.7 million in 2018 (with Nick Grimshaw as host). This is due to Greg James' larger consideration of requests and audience input… to get an idea of what music and content people want to hear. By playing popular and requested songs at the time, BBC Radio One are able to attract even more listeners than in the past.

Another way Radio One are increasing the number of its listeners is by carrying on the Annual event 'Radio 1 Weekend'. This is when Radio one host a 4 venue festival/weekend concert featuring a wide and all time popular range of artists like Sam Smith, Craig David, Ed Sheeran etc… which is then broadcast on TV, BBC app and of course… Live Radio.

Radio Questions

1. How long has Greg James been presenting The Radio 1 Breakfast show? 

9 months

2. What is the age range of the target audience that the R1BS aim to attract?

15-29

3. What are the main differences between R1BS and commercial stations' breakfast shows like Capital FM?
R1BS aims to please the audience  

4. List as many ways audiences can access Radio 1 that you can think of.

Online

App

FM

TV

5. How can the audience interact with the R1BS?

Online

Social Media

6. Which professional body regulates Radio and how might this affect what is broadcast? 

Ofcom is the regulator and competition authority for TV and radio sectors

7. How does The R1BS fulfil its remits as a public service broadcaster?
They play up and coming British artists' songs.
No adverts
Offer prizes to listeners and allow a lot of interaction.

8. Why is the controller of Radio 1, Ben Cooper unconcerned about the drop in listening figures for the R1BS?

Because he believes that radio 1 will transfer to YouTube and social media so the listeners might be dropping but the followers aren't 

9. How does the program promote British music?

They play young artists' songs and sometimes have them on as a guest talking about their songs and career in general. They also play other British music in general, for example in one breakfast show they played a song by the 1975, which could teach the younger target audience more about how British music used to be, and how it has developed.

10. What genres of music were played during your slot?
Pop, Hip-Hop

11. Celebrity interviews - Who is being interviewed and what are they being interviewed about? How many of the interviews are with British people?

A recent interview was with Chris Pratt which was promoting his latest movie the Lego Movie 2. They do a lot of interviews with celebrity interviews, for example Rita Ora and Liam Payne.

12. News items - List the stories and identify which relate to Britain.

News on Brexit, main news story was the sport specifically the Super Bowl and FA cup. Most of the news was on the UK other than the American sports news.

13. Quizzes and games - what can you win?

FA cup Tickets

14. How does the broadcast fit into the BBC ethos of 'informing, educating and entertaining'?

It informs and educates through the news, entertains through the quizzes, games, celebrity interviews and music, and it promotes British artists.

15. How does it differ from commercial breakfast shows?
There is more audience interaction with more prizes and chances to get on the show than other radio stations.

16. Who do you think the audience is from the content of 'your section'? What evidence do you have for this?

15-29 They played young artists

17. How large is the audience for the Radio 1 Breakfast show?
5.1 million weekly

                                      

18. Which five audience categories did the BBC Trust use to measure audiences in 2016?

19. Which BBC radio station is most targeted at a mass audience?
Radio 2 - 35 years and older.

20. Which BBC radio station is most aimed at a niche audience with high levels of cultural capital?

Radio 3 - classical music

Radio 4 - talking - politics

The Big Six

There are 6 companies in the Big Six: Disney, Sony, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios and Paramount. This is soon to be the Big 5 after Disney 'eats up' 20th Century Fox. Disney is also made the most financial success due to them being a vertically integrated conglomerate, meaning they have the ownership of means of production, distribution and Exhibition of the film by the same company as they receive all of the profit.

The majority of films include the following genres: Action, Adventure, and a large percentage of Superhero, which are all blockbuster films. There are a few indie films within the list of 20, but the majority are blockbuster. From the list, there are 2 sequels: Hotel Transylvania and Star Wars.

The majority of the top 20 grossing films are rated PG 13 with an exception of a few which are rated either R or PG. All films are 3D.

Film Industry- Top Grossing Films

Top Grossing Films of 2018

1. Black Panther
- $1.1 Billion
- Marvel Studios
- Action, Adventure, Superhero, Science Fiction, Fantasy
- PG 13

2. Avengers: Infinity War
- $2 Billion
- Marvel Studios
- Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
- PG 13

3. Incredible 2
- $504.382 million
- Pixar
- Adventure, Animation, Action, Science Fiction, Comedy
- PG 

4. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
- $1 Billion
- Legendary Entertainment, Universal Pictures
- Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
- PG 13 

5. Deadpool 2
- $600 Million
- Marvel Studios
- Comedy, Action, Adventure, Science Fiction, Superhero, Fantasy 

6. The Grinch
- $500,535,598
- Illumination 

- Fiction, Children’s Literature 

- PG

7. Aquaman
- $1 Billion
- Warner Bros
- Action, Superhero, Adventure, Science Fiction, Fantasy 

- PG 13

8. Mission Impossible – Fallout
- $791 million
- Paramount Pictures
- Action, Adventure, Thriller, Spy
- PG 13

9. Ant-Man and the Wasp
- $216,648,740
- Marvel Studios
- Action, Comedy, Adventure, Science Fiction, Superhero, Fantasy
- PG 13

10. Solo: A Star Wars Story
- $392.9 million.
- Lucasfilm
- Action, Adventure, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Space Western
- PG 13

11. Venom
- $600 Million
- Marvel Entertainment
- Action, Adventure, Horror, Thriller, Superhero, Science Fiction
- PG 13

12. A Star Is Born
- $460 Million
- Malpaso Productions
- Romance, Drama, Musical, Music
- R

13. Bohemian Rhapsody
- £384 Million
- 20th Century Fox
- Classic Rock
- PG 13 

14. Ralph Breaks The Internet
- $406 Million
- Walt Disney Pictures
- Animation, Comedy, Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Animated Cartoon
- PG

15. A Quiet Place
- $300 Million
- Paramount Pictures
- Horror, Thriller, Science Fiction, Drama
- PG 13

16. Crazy Rich Asians
- $238 Million
- Color Force
- Comedy, Drama, Romance, Comedy Drama
- PG 13

17. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
- $167 Million
- Sony Pictures Animation
- Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Adventure
- PG

18. Halloween
- $172 Million
- Compass International Pictures
- Horror, Thriller, Slasher, Cult, Indie, Teen
- R

19. Fantastic Beasts: The Crime of Grindelwald
- £234 Million
- Warner Bros
- Adventure, Fantasy, Family
- PG 13

20. The Meg
- $90 Million
- Warner Bros
- Horror, Action, Adventure, Science Fiction, Thriller, Fantasy
- PG 13

Jungle Book

Jungle Book