RADIO 1 LAUNCH CSP: BLOG TASKS
Historical, social and cultural contexts
1) What radio stations were offered by the BBC before 1967?
- BBC Radio Home
- BBC Radio Light
- BBC Third
The Light Programme was split into Radio 1 offering continuous "Popular" music and Radio 2 for more 'Easy Listening'.
3) What was pirate radio and why was it popular?
Pirate Radio was a ship where Tony Blackburn worked at and played different kinds of music for how long they want on the sea because it was illegal. It was popular because teenagers were allowed to listen to it with unlimited time.
4) Why did pirate radio stop broadcasting in 1967?
Pirate Radio stopped broadcasting in 1967 because the rules outlawed pirate radio stations, and they had to go.
5) How did the BBC attract young audiences to Radio 1 after pirate radio stations were closed down?
Tony Blackburn had worked on the private ships and was asked to design the studio to grab that young, private radio audience.
6) What was 'needle time' and why was it a problem for BBC Radio?
There were concerns that too much music on the radio would mean that people would no longer buy records, so the Musicians' Union and Phonographic Performance Limited restricted the amount of recorded music that could be transmitted by the BBC during the course of any 24-hour period. This is called 'needle time'.
7) How did BBC Radio 1 offer different content to previous BBC radio stations?
The BBC Radio 1 splits the Light Programme into "popular", "easy listening", and classical music and cultural programming.
8) Who was the first presenter for BBC Radio 1 and why did these new Radio 1 DJs cause upset initially at the traditional BBC?
Tony Blackburn was the DJ for the first ever show on Radio 1. It was not seen as 'cool', BBC stood for traditional, conservative values, it still had more formal style than the pirate, it struggled financially.
9) Listen to excerpts from the Tony Blackburn's first 1967 broadcast - how might it have appealed to young listeners?
It appealed to young audience because of different pleasures, attract bigger audiences, and attracts younger audiences, young people liked pirate because no limit and more rebellious.
10) How was Tony Blackburn's radio show more like pirate radio rather than traditional BBC radio content?
Tony Blackburn's radio show was more likely like pirate radio because they added a Jingle: "Just for fun", pace: faster, less boring, words used: "provide music all day", "Popular channel", "Exciting new sound", and DJ: less formal/ informal, less serious, chatty.
Audience and industry
1) What was the target audience for BBC Radio 1 in 1967?
The target audience for BBC radio 1 in 1967 was young people who were listening to pirate radio. Today, the BBC Radio 1 target audience is 15-29 year old but they are struggling to attract these listeners. The median age for Radio 1 listeners is 32 and 41% of the audience today are ages between 15-29.
2) Why did Radio 1 initially struggle to attract young listeners?
Radio 1 struggles to attract young listeners because it was seen as not 'cool', BBC stood for traditional, conservative values. It still had more formal style than pirate.
3) What audience pleasures did Radio 1 offer listeners in 1967? (Use Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory).
- Personal identity: teenagers relating to Tony Blackburn doing exciting, fun stuffs, and rebellious (younger audience relates to Tony Blackburn (24) who is more informal and rebellious/ 'cooler').
- Diversion: different types of music and kids wants to use it as escapism (more range of content and enthusiasm).
- Personal relationship: teenagers wants to make friends with Tony Blackburn (more chatty).
The BBC is funded by public. Remit (duty) - to inform, to educate, and to entertain.
5) Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would the preferred and oppositional readings have been for BBC Radio 1 in 1967?
The preferred reading is that it's 'cool' and innovative and new. The oppositional reading is people would think he had 'sold out' or become part of establishment.
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