Radio: BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat

 Newsbeat analysis

Use BBC Sounds to listen to Radio 1. Select a Newsbeat bulletin (8am or 12.45pm are good options) and then answer the following questions: 

1) What news stories were featured in the bulletin you listened to?

Politics, Sports and celebrities

2) How does Newsbeat appeal to a youth audience?

Quick overveiws of stories, upbeat background music, high pitched child-like tone

3) How might Newsbeat help fulfil the BBC's responsibilities as a public service broadcaster? 

Informs about event happening in the UK (news) and entertains listeners through music and subtle puns.

Media Factsheet #246: BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat

Read Factsheet #246 BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat. You'll need your Greenford google login to access it. Answer the following questions:

1) How is the history and launch of Radio 1 summarised in the factsheet? If you studied this as part of GCSE Media you will already know much of this.

Tony Blackburn opened Radio 1 on 30th September 1967 at 7.00am, The station set out to emulate the new ‘DJ style’ of radio, heard only on the pirate radio stations. The first words spoken by him were, “Welcome to the exciting new sound of Radio One.” For many years BBC radio had a monopoly of the airwaves, it was the only radio station that people in the UK could legally listen to. However, this monopoly was challenged in the 1960s when pirate radio stations such as Radio Caroline and Radio Luxembourg started illegally transmitting commercial programming via ships in international waters and on land. Radio 1 DJs became household names. The station remained popular for many years, but by the 1990s Radio 1 was losing listeners. Matthew Bannister became Controller in 1993. He overhauled the presenting staff to recapture the youth market. Radio 1 was the first to be aired on DAB. The breakfast show is seen as the flagship show of Radio 1.

2) Look at page 3 of the factsheet. How is Radio 1 attempting to appeal to its 15-29 age demographic? 

With a distinctive mix of contemporary music and speech.

3) What did young people used to get from radio? Focus on audience pleasures / Uses & Gratifications here (see top of second column on page 3).

• To connect themselves to popular culture products (identity).
• To gain an insight into the world beyond their own experience: relationships, romance, politics (information and surveillance).
•  To build para-social relationships with media personalities (both musicians and DJs) – create fandoms.
• For pure entertainment.

4) How has Radio 1 and Newsbeat in particular diversified its content for the digital age? 

Radio 1 has diversified its content beyond the studio, from Live Lounge sessions to a Big Weekend of live music, its output is wide and diverse.

5) How is Newsbeat constructed to appeal to audiences? 

Newsbeat adapts to young people’s changing media habits by delivering short, engaging news stories in a relatable tone, making content easily accessible across different platforms to compete with other forms of media.

6) What are the three key ideas from David Hesmondhalgh and which apply to Radio 1 Newsbeat?

• Cultural industries are made to create profit: False
• Content production is made my symbol creators: Diverse output is huge.
• The internet has not challenged the centralised power of providers or allowed audiences to challenge content. Radio 1 and Newsbeat is finding it difficult to challenge the social media giants in targeting a youth audience, but it does try to utilise these platforms with its content.

7) Now look at Curran and Seaton. What are their key ideas and can they be applied to Radio 1 Newsbeat? 

• The media is concentrated in the hands of powerful commerical media giants: No
• Culture is controlled by social elites

8) What key idea for Livingstone and Lunt is on the factsheet and how does it link to the CSP?

• Media can have a citizen based approach to regulation: News Beat is national and represent UK.

9) How can we apply Stuart Hall's Reception theory to Radio 1 Newsbeat?

• Preferred: Newsbeat is inclusive and representative of the Uk
• Op-positional: It is London centric because the majority of the news is based in London.
• Negotiated: There is many representation but mainly based in London.

10) Choose one other audience theory on the factsheet and explain how it links to Radio 1 Newsbeat.

Uses and gratifications: 

• Personal identity: British
• Diversion: Music and tone of voice
• Surveillance: The news

Industry contexts: reading and research

Read the first five pages of this Ofcom document laying out its regulation of the BBC. 

1) Pick out three key points in the 'Summary' section.

• The BBC is the UK’s most widely-used media organisation, providing programming on television and radio and content online.
• To meet these expectations, the BBC must deliver the mission and public purposes set out in its new Royal Charter (the Charter).
• On 29 March 2017, we consulted on a draft Licence setting out requirements for the BBC to fulfil its remit, and plans for Ofcom to measure the BBC’s overall performance.

2) Now read what the license framework will seek to do (letters a-h). Which of these points could we relate to BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat?

The Licence sets a wide range of regulatory conditions that the BBC must meet. Our new regulatory conditions raise the bar for the BBC. In most areas, they place tougher requirements on the broadcaster than existed before, as well as safeguarding key areas of delivery. They set a baseline for future performance.

The delivery is very loud and child-like tone, for their young audience.

3) Which do you think are the three most important aspects in the a-h list? Why?

• Strengthen news and current affairs rules.: So it is reliable and trust worthy
• Increase requirements around programmes for children: Children are becoming the new adults so they need to be properly prepared and educated
• Safeguard vulnerable genres such as arts, music and religious programmes: Their target audience is children.

4) Read point 1.9: What do Ofcom plan to review in terms of diversity and audience? 

We will take into account the outcomes of the review as we shape our future oversight of the BBC, and we will take further measures where needed to ensure that the BBC is delivering for all its audiences

5) Based on your reading and research, do you think BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat offers licence fee payers good value for money?

Yes, because of the extent they go to to ensure that needs and wants are met all across their audience.

A/A* Extension tasks

As an extension, read this Guardian interview with former BBC 1 Controller Ben Cooper. It's a few years old but has some excellent discussion of the challenges facing radio and public service broadcasting. You may want to answer the following questions:

1) What was Ben Cooper trying to do with Radio 1?

Turn it into the Netflix of music radio.

2) How does he argue that Radio 1 is doing better with younger audiences than the statistics suggest?

Nothing is  measured for under 15's but is for above 29's, so the averages will show older ages rather than including the youth in the averages, implying that they have a very youthful audience it is just the averages not representing it.

3) Why does he suggest Radio 1 is distinctive from commercial radio?

They play about 4000 different tracks  a month whilst commercial plays about 400.

4) Why is Radio 1 increasingly focusing on YouTube views and digital platforms?

Because there has been a rise in digital media and streaming services which is what audiences are mainly using, so focusing on them will increase the likely hood of Radio 1 becoming significant.

5) In your opinion, should the BBC’s remit include targeting young audiences via Radio 1 or should this content be left to commercial broadcasters? Explain your answer.

I don't think it should be a remit, but rather depends on the purpose of the radio. Radio 1 is for children/ younger audiences therefore should focus on attracting them whereas other BBC services may not be for younger audiences so they don't need to focus on attracting them.