Part a)
BBC Radio 1's target audience is 15-25 year olds, as expressed in the BBC Radio emit. The aim of this radio show is to "educate, entertain and inform" it's listeners. This Chris Evans Breakfast show on BBC Radio 2 is aimed at a much older and sophisticated audience, whereas the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show with Greg James, and Nick Grimshaw (at a later hour) aims to entertain the younger audience more, and to create a fun, and energetic atmosphere. there is a constant use of up to date music which is popular with the age group, with ranging styles of music, from pop to rock.
They try to cater to all walks of people in society, with the varying tones throughout the broadcast as well as in their conversations and their music choices. Listening figures for the Nick Grimshaw Breakfast show have actually decreased in some ways due to the rise of alternative ways to listen to music, which are attracting the youths that the radio show is trying to attract. Because BBC Radio 2 appeals to a much older and more sophisticated audience, therefore they do not see the decrease in listening figures like the radio shows targeted at a younger audience, as the older audiences will be much more loyal to the radio than for example streaming services. Youths like to keep up to date with technology advances, and different ways to listening to music, and radio is slowly fading away from the interest of it's target audience. Evidence shows that from Q3 to Q4 of 2016 Nick Grimshaw's audience has increased from 5.25m to 5.37m listeners, while Radio 1Xtra lost listeners in the same period, dropping from 1.03m in Q3 to 909,000 in Q4. And Radio 1’s overall audience also fell from Q3 to Q4, down by 3.2 per cent to 9.56m. They are trying to target the teenage age group through online influences, social media such as Facebook and YouTube. They use famous celebrities to bring interest onto the station's page, such as in playground insult games, etc. Younger audiences have little interest in radio show compared to older audiences, who are much more loyal, which is why BBC Radio 1 is suffering in terms of listening figures. Radio 1 currently does not have a streaming service, therefore cannot interest listeners in that way, however their huge social media work, and work in bringing live singers to sing their own songs as well as covers (in the Live Lounge) leads to their success in reaching the trending level on YouTube. The games with celebrities such as Ryan Reynolds and Josh Brolin playing Playground Insults brings attention to not just the film, but also in giving attention to the radio show when the celebrities promote these games. This creates a social media campaign for the broadcaster and ultimately, helps the listening figures, as they wait to see what guests will be there next. Both Nick Grimshaw and Greg James use twitter as a platform to engage the audience in creating comedic stories for the audience to be interested in, such as a lady in a skip, who was the source of a campaign to find her name, with memes going round to accompany the story and campaign. This in turn brought attention to the radio show, and in engaging the audience by getting them to phone in and discuss things with the presenters, or guests such as Jon Richardson. Getting the listeners to phone in brings up the listening figures which is the ultimate aim, as well as fitting the remit by 'entertaining' the audience. They encourage listeners to tell their 'man in the pub' stories, which when involved, creates a discussion point with the listeners when they tell their friends they were on the radio, again, in turn creating a buzz around the channel and bringing up listening figures again. Radio 1 has the ability to host special events such as BBC 1's Big Weekend, or BBC 1 Music Awards, which intrigues interest from party goers, as they begin to listen to the channel to find out about the upcoming events from this channel. BBC Radio 1 does live videos while broadcasting with Greg James so listeners can also see their favourite guests live on air while they are on the radio with the presenters, and this technology advance makes the show popular, as teenagers are living in a era where they are fascinated with seeing celebrities, and it create a discussion point among teenagers when they discuss their favourite artists, etc.
They try to cater to all walks of people in society, with the varying tones throughout the broadcast as well as in their conversations and their music choices. Listening figures for the Nick Grimshaw Breakfast show have actually decreased in some ways due to the rise of alternative ways to listen to music, which are attracting the youths that the radio show is trying to attract. Because BBC Radio 2 appeals to a much older and more sophisticated audience, therefore they do not see the decrease in listening figures like the radio shows targeted at a younger audience, as the older audiences will be much more loyal to the radio than for example streaming services. Youths like to keep up to date with technology advances, and different ways to listening to music, and radio is slowly fading away from the interest of it's target audience. Evidence shows that from Q3 to Q4 of 2016 Nick Grimshaw's audience has increased from 5.25m to 5.37m listeners, while Radio 1Xtra lost listeners in the same period, dropping from 1.03m in Q3 to 909,000 in Q4. And Radio 1’s overall audience also fell from Q3 to Q4, down by 3.2 per cent to 9.56m. They are trying to target the teenage age group through online influences, social media such as Facebook and YouTube. They use famous celebrities to bring interest onto the station's page, such as in playground insult games, etc. Younger audiences have little interest in radio show compared to older audiences, who are much more loyal, which is why BBC Radio 1 is suffering in terms of listening figures. Radio 1 currently does not have a streaming service, therefore cannot interest listeners in that way, however their huge social media work, and work in bringing live singers to sing their own songs as well as covers (in the Live Lounge) leads to their success in reaching the trending level on YouTube. The games with celebrities such as Ryan Reynolds and Josh Brolin playing Playground Insults brings attention to not just the film, but also in giving attention to the radio show when the celebrities promote these games. This creates a social media campaign for the broadcaster and ultimately, helps the listening figures, as they wait to see what guests will be there next. Both Nick Grimshaw and Greg James use twitter as a platform to engage the audience in creating comedic stories for the audience to be interested in, such as a lady in a skip, who was the source of a campaign to find her name, with memes going round to accompany the story and campaign. This in turn brought attention to the radio show, and in engaging the audience by getting them to phone in and discuss things with the presenters, or guests such as Jon Richardson. Getting the listeners to phone in brings up the listening figures which is the ultimate aim, as well as fitting the remit by 'entertaining' the audience. They encourage listeners to tell their 'man in the pub' stories, which when involved, creates a discussion point with the listeners when they tell their friends they were on the radio, again, in turn creating a buzz around the channel and bringing up listening figures again. Radio 1 has the ability to host special events such as BBC 1's Big Weekend, or BBC 1 Music Awards, which intrigues interest from party goers, as they begin to listen to the channel to find out about the upcoming events from this channel. BBC Radio 1 does live videos while broadcasting with Greg James so listeners can also see their favourite guests live on air while they are on the radio with the presenters, and this technology advance makes the show popular, as teenagers are living in a era where they are fascinated with seeing celebrities, and it create a discussion point among teenagers when they discuss their favourite artists, etc.
Part b)
Radio 1 is funded by the public in their licence fees, which taxpayers pay for annually. Because it is funded by the taxpayers, the programme must be neutral, clean language for children to watch due to the watershed which doesn't end till 9pm, and start at 5.30am. They have to appeal to all types of audiences, and in doing so, they must appeal to a wide range of audiences with different styles of music. In 2016/17 Radio 1 had a budget of £34.7 million. This money helps influence how the programme runs and the quality of the programme. Radio 1 have the ability to host special events such as BBC 1's Big Weekend, or BBC 1 Music Awards. They also offer competitions during their shows, such as tickets to in for backstage access to a 1975 concert. They use the money to ensure that to programme content is high, such as good quality guests like Halsey, the Killers, 1975, George Ezra, etc. Examples of quizzes they do are with guests of game of thrones, games with Seth Rogen and Chloe Grace Moretz, Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt. They have social media sites which attract huge support from younger audiences specifically, through things such twitter, Facebook and YouTube, and YouTube is the most popular platform that BBC Radio 1 uses, as the listeners are able to each performances and see their celebrities.
Because BBC Radio 1 aims to promote British artists, and upcoming artists that are not necessarily found yet, and they are able to take this possible risk that commercial radio shows will not take, as they have public funding, and can therefore help promote new artists, whereas there is the risk with privately funded radio shows that they will not see a return on their trial of new music. An example of this in BBC Radio 1 is them playing music by British artist 'Weiss" who is an up-and-coming artist, who is not yet a success in the industry, but is slowly making his way up, and BBC Radio 1 helps provide this.
Because BBC Radio 1 aims to promote British artists, and upcoming artists that are not necessarily found yet, and they are able to take this possible risk that commercial radio shows will not take, as they have public funding, and can therefore help promote new artists, whereas there is the risk with privately funded radio shows that they will not see a return on their trial of new music. An example of this in BBC Radio 1 is them playing music by British artist 'Weiss" who is an up-and-coming artist, who is not yet a success in the industry, but is slowly making his way up, and BBC Radio 1 helps provide this.
Commercial radio shows are funded privately, by private corporate media, rather than though state funding. Commercial radio shows such as Capital Radio and Radio X have a certain type of audience style they want to attract such as Radio X plays alternative music, so appeal to an audience who favour that certain style of music. Capital radio appeal specifically to fans of contemporary music. Radio X is funded by advertising revenue, but their annual budget is not known, butis significantly less than Radio 1. Commercial radio shows struggle to match the funding and attention that Radio 1 has for quality of production and the availability to engage audience interaction via social media.
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