BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat: Blog tasks

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?

The news stories that was featured in the bulletin I listened to was about sports, specifically football and Paraguay’s biggest win in the World Cup.

2) How does Newsbeat appeal to a youth audience?

Newsbeat might appeal to a youth audience by producing news in a shorter length as well as focusing on soft news such as sports as they are more interested in it. 

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

Newsbeat help fulfil the BBC's responsibilities as a PSB by keeping and focusing on their remit, to inform, educate and entertain. They provide surveillance especially for younger audience as well as providing a range of contents for their entertainment.

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?

The history and launch of Radio 1 has been summarised to when people legally listened to Radio 1 but soon gained competition from illegal commercial programming through ships. These ships were able to gain youth audiences due to it being more interesting for them and the idea that they provided DJs. 

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

Radio 1 is attempting to appeal to its 15-29 age demographic by showcasing a wide range of new music styles and support emerging artists in the UK. News, documents and other speech content are also becoming more relevant for the youth audience allowing better understanding of the world. They also used BAME communities and hip hop to gain a wider youth audience. 

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).

They used to get:

-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 and Newsbeat diversified its content 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 constructed to appeal audiences through: 

-Multiple voices, regional and national accents; Welsh, Irish, Scottish.

-Code-switching from formal to informal is used in order to target and appeal to different demographics.

-Simplifying of language and content.

-Personalisation and anecdotes. 

-Use of sound beds/effects: also known as imagining, that run underneath the voices. These are used to maintain interest throughout the broadcast.

 

-Recorded interviews with diegetic sound.

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

The three key ideas from David Hesmondhalgh are:

-Cultural industries are made to create profit 

-Content production is made by ‘symbol creators’

-The internet has not challenged the centralised power of providers or allowed audiences to challenge content

The idea of ‘symbol creators’ and the internet not challenging power of providers apply to Radio 1 and Newsbeat this is because the diverse output of both platforms are huge, providing audiences creative products that excites them. Also, the fact that both platforms are struggling to reach their target audience, youth audience, due to challenges against social media platforms, 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? 

Curran and Seaton’s key ideas are:

-The media is concentrated in the hands of powerful commercial media giants 

-Culture is controlled by elites 

These ideas don’t apply to Radio 1 and Bewsbeat as PSBs are supposed to offer impartial news which is not regulated by economic and political ideologies. Also, the BBC has a remit that states that they have to be independent and a mission to act in the public interest giving their audience impartial, high-quality output and services which is to inform, educate and entertain. 

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

Livingstone and Lunt’s key ideas are: 

-Media can have a citizen-based approach to regulation

This links to the CSP as the BBC is an example of citizen-based approach to regulation. For example, citizen-oriented regulation is concerned with content-based issues.

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

We can apply Stuart Hall’s Reception theory (media producers encode media products in a way they think will appeal to them but not always successful) to Radio 1 Newsbeat through the idea that BBC tried to appeal to young audiences with its content but faces competition from other platforms that appear to produce content better for younger audiences than them. However, the idea of the media content reinforcing dominant ideologies of social power doesn’t apply to Radio 1 as Radio 1 has a lot of content that represents minority groups.

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

Another audience theory is Blumler and Katz’s uses and gratification, which links to Radio 1. Newsbeat could satisfy the need for information and surveillance as well as the idea that Radio 1 has many aspects of entertainment. 

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). For the first time, the BBC will be robustly held to account for doing so by an independent, external regulator.

-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. They also carried out bespoke research into audience opinions and expectations of the BBC.

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?

-Strengthen news and current affair rules

-Secure more distinctive BBC

-Support social action campaigns on BBC radio

-Safeguard vulnerable genres such as arts, music and religious programmes

-Support a wide range of valued genres

-Support regional and national audiences, and creative economies across the UK

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

-Strengthen news and current affairs rules 

-Support social actions campaigns on BBC radio 

-Support regional and national audiences, and creative economies across the UK

This is because all these aspects focus on gaining a wide range mainstream audiences to allow them to gain more exposure and reach their target audience which are younger audiences. This would also allow them to focus on producing content that audiences are interested in.

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

Ofcom plan to review in terms of diversity and audience by asking what audiences expect from the BBC to understand whether it reflects and portrays the lives of all people across the whole of the UK, ranging from younger and older audiences to diverse communities. 

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

Yes, I think that BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat offers licence fee payers good value for money because it provides them content that is inclusive and focuses on their remit which is to inform, educate and entertain. 

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?

What Ben Cooper is trying to do with Radio 1 is trying to focus on what the youth audience are interested in, especally wanting content on whatever device they are using. He's also focused on staying relevant for younger audiences. Furthermore, he focuses on bringing new audiences and new ways to the BBC that would allow them to gain a much more mainstream audience. 

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

He argues that Radio 1 if doing better with younger audience with the idea that their YouTube channel has almost 3.5m subscribers and more than 1bn views but these audiences’ age is an average of 35 years old whereas their target audience’s age ranges between 15-29 years old. 

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

He suggests that Radio 1 is distinctive from commercial radio as he stated that “We will play something like 4,000 different tracks a month, commercial radio plays about 400.”

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

Radio 1 is increasingly focused on YouTube views and digital platforms as they focus on gaining younger audience where these audiences are more likely to use these platforms and so they are trying to keep up with the trends that most younger audiences are familiar with. 

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.

Yes, I think that the BBC's remit should include targeting young audiences because they would gain more audience and would be known for providing content for younger audiences in the future. They could also provide content that are available and relevant to all ages and so they could gain a mainstream audience as well as growing their profit. However, this could be link to risky business as they are already struggling to gain young audience, linking to them focusing more on this problem rather than what they're already familiar with.