The Radio industry set text (Late night woman’s hour case study)

1. The Radio industry set text(Late night woman’s hour case study) Eloise Heasman-Ames

2. What is a radio public service broadcaster? A radio broadcaster which is viewed as a public service by catering to the tastes and audiences. An example of the main public service broadcasters in the UK are the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and S4C. What are the 5 categories of commercial radio stations in the UK? • National commercial radio: there are three of these stations broadcasting: Classic FM, Talksport and Absolute Radio. • Independent local radio: these are regional commercial stations. They are specific to a certain area of the country and are not part of a network group. • Community Radio: A different format from public service and commercial stations. Community stations serve their local areas and produce content of interest to local people. The stations are non-profit making and are usually funded by the local community. • Hospital Radio: Hundreds of these radio stations based in hospitals and staffed by volunteers, broadcasting in the UK. Many radio presenters started out in hospital or community radio. • National brands: these are regional stations that have been collected into networks, sharing some programmes and syndicated output. They are: • Global Radio: Heart, Galaxy, Gold & Radio X • Bauer Media Group: Kiss and Magic • Guardian Media Group: Real Radio

3. Marketing: How does the BBC promote its stations and programmes? • Cross-platform marketing: Other radio stations and BBC television will promote radio stations and events related to BBC radio, e.g. ‘T in the Park’. • Billboard and Magazine Advertisements: For stations and presenters • Website: Each station will have this within the umbrella website for BBC radio. These allow listeners to access live audio streaming and listen to archive programmes. They also provide interactive opportunities for an audience and can be accessed by a global audience. • Promotional Films: BBC radio produces promotional films focusing on a particular part of its output, for example its presenters or news coverage. • Interactive Services: BBC Taster is an interactive service that enables the BBC to showcase experimental ideas and new talent. It allows audiences to give feedback on what they see/hear. It is also a space for the BBC to develop its ideas for digital content and emerging technology.

4. What are the seven codes and conventions of speech-based radioprogrammes? • A presenter: although this can be the case for music-led formats, the presenter in speech-led programmes acts as an anchor to guide the discussion between various guests (e.g. Lauren Laverne in LNWH) • Discussions: A group of people discussing a range of topics, this sub-genre of programme is often a key part of Radio 4’s schedule. LNWH uses this style, with each programme centring on a key topic. • Phone-Ins: These are effective and cheap ways of involving the listeners, who are encouraged to take part in the programme and offer their point of view. • Contributors: News magazine programmes such as Today and PM on Radio 4 invite guests who tend to be experts or knowledgeable in the topic under discussion. LNWH has a highbrow female guests including writers, artists and academics. • Drama: Radio 4 has a regular feature of ‘The Afternoon Play’. Other dramas include the long-running radio soap ‘The Archers’. • Documentaries: These may be related to news items or current affairs, or be music themed, for example the life of a particular pop star or musician. • Outside Broadcasts: reporters, presenters and mobile studios bring stories and features from different national and global locations. The flexibility of the radio medium means that it does not have to rely on visual images and therefore reports can be more immediate. The focus is on the human voice and sound effects.

5. What is scheduling and how does it work in the BBC’s radio programming? The regular programmes for each station are broadcast at the same time each day. The scheduling of a particular programme will have been researched in order to maximise the target audience. This is still the case even though, with advances in digital technology, listeners can catch up on radio programmes through ‘Listen Again’ podcasts. Speech led station such as Radio 4 engages in stripping (Technique where a certain programme is broadcast at the same time everyday) as part of its schedule. (e.g. Woman’s Hour and its spin-off Late Night Woman’s Hour, both have specific scheduling times. LNWH’s scheduling is more interesting however, it is a monthly programme broadcast at 11pm. The assumption is that a lot of listeners will choose to listen via the podcast, but keeping it in the schedule at this time allows the programme to include more adult content.

6. Who is the voice of Late Night Women’s Hour (LNWH) on Radio 4? LNWH was launched in 2015 in response to the demands of the industry and to cater for a younger female audience who may not be addressed by the current Radio 4 output. It is presented by Lauren Laverne who is of a similar age to the target audience and is known for her involvement in music and the arts. She is a presenter on Radio 6 Music and fronted ‘The Culture Show’ as well as covering Glastonbury for the BBC.

7. Who Regulates the Radio and Television Broadcasting Industry? The Communications Act 2003 established Ofcom as the new UK regulator. Accountable to Parliament, Ofcom is involved in advising and setting some of the more technical aspects of regulation, implementing and enforcing the law. Like television, BBC Radio has a public service to inform, educate and entertain, which is evident in its range of stations catering for diverse audiences and interests, including the classical output of Radio 3, Radio 1Xtra, which plays contemporary hip hop and RnB aimed at 15-24 year olds. As well as the BBC Asian Network to cater for the British Asian community. Commercial and community radio stations have to apply for their licenses from Ofcom.

8. What is the role of Ofcom? • Ensure that a wide range of television and radio services of high quality and wide appeal are available. • To maintain plurality in the provision of broadcasting • To adequately protect audiences against offensive or harmful material • To protect audiences against unfairness or infringement of privacy.

9. Key Theory: How can Curran and Seaton’s Power and Media Industries be applied to the BBC and LNWH? The theory suggests: • The idea that the media are controlled by a small number of companies primarily driven by the logic of profit and power. • The idea that media concentration generally limits or inhibits variety, creativity and quality. • The idea that more socially diverse patterns of ownership help create the conditions for more varied and adventurous media productions. The BBC are viewed as a major deliverer of radio and television programmes. The role of the BBC as a public service broadcaster and its relative freedom from commercial pressures,(e.g. selling advertising). In theory, this gives it more scope to produce innovative and creative programmes, targeting niche and diverse audiences such as LNWH. The ethos of the BBC is to inform, educate and entertain audiences so therefore it needs to address a range of audiences. The flexibility of the BBC as it is funded via the license fee, commission new programmes that appeal to minority audiences.The organisation of BBC radio means that specific stations has a distinct style and therefore different appeal to audiences.

10. What are the 4 factors that create appeal forradio audiences? • The blind medium: Only involves the sense of hearing with no visual images. In this sense the medium can be seen to have advantages in that it allows the audience to use their imaginations. • The companion medium: The radio format provides a strong sense of personal communication for the audience. It also offers interactive opportunities, audiences can text and email programmes and get ‘mentions’ or ‘shout-outs’. Some programmes have phone-ins where listeners can air their views or select music to be played. • The intimate medium: Radio is very personal, it encourages intimacy by the users by the direct mode of address. • The undemanding medium: It allows the audience to do other things while listening. With radio unlike television, a listener does not need to devote their time entirely to the platform.

11. How does LNWH appeal to audiences? • The choice of presenter: Lauren Laverne is of similar age as the target audience. Her northern accent also subverts the stereotype of the typical Radio 4 presenter and therefore makes her more relatable to the audience. • The language and mode of address are aimed at younger female demographic • It appeals to a niche, specialised audience signified by the scheduling time. • The themes of the programme and subsequent podcasts are constructed to be of interest to the specialised audience. • The audience is constructed through the style of the programme and the choice of guests, guests tend to be educated and often highbrow. • It is available across a range of platforms and is therefore available to a global audience.

12. How can you apply Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory to LNWH? • The dominant position: the audience accepts the intended meaning encoded within the product. • The negotiated position: the audience acknowledges some of the messages encoded by the producers of the product but may question or adapt the message to be more relatable to their own experiences. • The oppositional position: the encoder’s message is understood, but the decoder disagrees with it and therefore the message is not accepted. Stuart Hall’s reception theory in relation to LNWH suggests that the dominant reading of the product would mean that the listeners accept the views and attitudes discussed throughout the programme. A negotiated position with the programme may indicate that audiences agree with opinions to some extent, however they may question sources or attitudes. The oppositional position of the programme would mean that listeners almost entirely disagree with the stance of the discussion.

13. What is the social and cultural context of LNWH? The introduction of LNWH into the Radio 4 schedule demonstrates the BBC’s awareness of the need to cater for all areas of society. The topics discussed in the programmes reflect what is of interest and concern to young women in society today and cater for a specific social group who have been previously under-represented.