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?

*Celebrity gossip 

*Weather

*Sports
*Music 

2) How does Newsbeat appeal to a youth audience?

Newsbeat appeals to a youth audience because it uses informal language and has fast paced music in the background. This helps to show that the presents on the radio show like to relate to how younger audiences might interact and communicate with each other instead of being formal. In addition to this, Newsbeat talks about big stories that younger audiences might relate to and find interesting such as knife crime and interviewing young teenagers about the topic and share what their views and opinions about this might be. 

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

Since the BBC's remit is to Inform, Educate and Entertain, Newsbeat does a good job in fulfilling the responsibilities as they are very informative and talk about a lot of very interesting topics such as football and celebrity gossip which helps keeps their viewers entertained. They also talk about the recent stories that are going on around the world such as the war going on in Gaza which again links back to the BBC's remit of  informing and educating their viewers of what is going on around the world.

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.

The history and launch of Radio 1 began in the 60's. This is because of the rise of young people finding the BBC's traditional radio boring and in need of something far better. During this time period, before Radio 1 was even a thing, there were these people called radio pirates. This was a term used for people who did not work for the BBC but decided to take matters into their own hands and play music and play far more interesting things that the younger generation were attracted to and this was all done on a illegal sailing ship which the youth back in the 60's found very rebellious back then as they've never saw something like this before. This is when Radio 1 came into light on 30 September 1967 at 7:00 am which Tony Blackburn started on his own "pirate" ship called Radio Caroline and his mission was to put the rest of these radio pirates out of business which it successfully did. 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.”

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 entertaining and engaging young listeners with a distinctive mix of contemporary music and speech. The programmes showcase a wide range of new music styles and support emerging artists, in particular those from the UK; with at least 60 hours a week dedicated to specialist music programming. News, documentaries and other speech content focuses on areas of relevance to young adults in the UK today and aims to help them make sense of the world around them. BBC Radio 1Xtra is Radio 1’s digital ‘sister’ station, shares some programmes and a similar passion for new music. The station has a particular focus on serving BAME (British English, Black, Asian and minority ethnic) communities, offering its young listeners programmes that span RnB, hip-hop, dancehall, drum & bass, and a range of other urban music genres. They also broadcast weekly documentaries under the ‘Radio 1 & 1Xtra’s Stories.’ 

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).

In the past, young people tend to get out vr

•  A Place 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? 

In order to try and cater for young people’s needs and compete with rival platforms, 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? 

Radio 1 Newsbeat is constructed to appeal to audiences by having two major factors that could help compete with its commercial forces:

* There are NO advertisements.

* It’s totally free.

This shows that Newsbeat is easy to access and is completely free with no advertisements which will help appeal to their audience as their will be no interruptions to any ad breaks and they'll be able to listen to their podcast or show in peace. Furthermore, Newsbeat offers a range of platforms and forms to appeal to the youth audience such as podcasts as these are easy to listen too on the go via mobile technology, information in a bite-sized segment

that would appeal to people who don’t want to read lengthy news article. 

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

* David Hesmondhalgh states that "Cultural Industries are made to create profit" which is wrong as the BBC is a PSB (Public Service Broadcasting) provider, free from commercial impulses. All profits go back into making more content for the people.

* David Hesmondhalgh states that "Content production is made by ‘symbol creators’" which is correct for Radio 1 Newsbeat as the diverse output of Radio 1 and Newsbeat is huge. Creators are governed by professional guidelines but they are also free to be creative to make products to excite youth audiences.

* David Hesmondhalgh states that "The internet has not challenged the centralised power of providers or allowed audiences to challenge content" which is correct for Newsbeat as 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? 

* Curran and Seaton states that "The media is concentrated in the hands of powerful commercial media giants" which is wrong for Newsbeat as the BBC is funded by the licence fee which is set at by the government. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has announced that the fee will remain at £159 until 2024, and then rise in line with inflation for the following four years. The plans for the new licence fee settlement cover a period of six years and will take effect from 1 April 2022 until 31 March 2028. It’s also important to remember that the government could get rid of the BBC should it say so, but it cannot tell it what to say or do.

* Curren and Seaton states that "Culture is controlled by social elites" which is again wrong for Newsbeat as The BBC has its remit to "Inform, Educate and Entertain" remit written into The Royal Charter, which states that it must remain independent and that the mission of the BBC is to act in the public interest, serving all audiences through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain. This means it is diverse, different and caters for all, not a small minority.

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

Livingstone and Lunt states that "Media can have a citizen- based approach to regulation" which is correct for Newsbeat as the BBC is an example of a citizen-based approach to regulation as citizen-orientated regulation is concerned with content-based issues and Citizen-based regulation is a positive form of regulation that directs media content so that it can improve the lives of citizens and contribute the wider well-being of society which the BBC does. 

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

One way we can apply Stuat Hall's Reception theory to Radio 1 Newsbeat is that "Media producers encode

media products in a way that they think will appeal to them. This is not always successful." This is very much true for when it comes to the BBC as they try their very best to appeal to young people with its content, but it faces competition from other platforms such as Apple Music or Spotfiy that appear to be catering for them in a better, more appealing way.

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

David Gauntlett – Identity Theory. Gauntlett states that "The media constructs a range of identities which audiences are free to choose from" which is true for Radio 1 Newsbeat as it offers a range of content that represents different class, racial, gender and age (15-29) identities. These could potentially reinforce audiences’ identities or challenge them. They also could offer role models for young people to follow or aspire to.

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. The public has exceptionally high expectations of the BBC, shaped by its role as a publicly-funded broadcaster with a remit to inform, educate and entertain the public, and to support the creative economy across the UK.

* 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. Alongside responsibilities for programme standards and protecting fair and effective competition in the areas in which the BBC operates, the Charter gives Ofcom the job of setting the BBC’s operating licence (the Licence). This sets binding conditions, requiring the BBC to deliver for licence feepayers. It is also our job to scrutinise, measure and report on the BBC’s performance.

* 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. We have carefully considered more than 100 responses from members of the public and industry. We have taken account of the BBC’s interim annual plan for 2017/18, published on 3 July 2017. We have 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?

h) Require the BBC to reflect the full diversity of the UK population. - This relates back to Newsbeat as they got a diverse community as they presenters from all around in the UK. 

d) Support social action campaigns on BBC radio. - This relates back to Newsbeat as they are to offer a minimum number of major social action campaigns each year. Providing information and raising awareness of social issues affecting young people and giving them a platform to engage with is one of the key ways Radio 1 can set itself apart from other radio stations.

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

a) Strengthen news and current affairs rules

h) Require the BBC to reflect the full diversity of the UK population.

d) Support social action campaigns on BBC radio.

I feel like these 3 are the most important aspects from the list as these target Newsbeat specifically since they are a radio show they need to make sure they are providing the best for their young listeners everything they have to offer so if they meet all these requirements they'll be able to gain a better increase in younger listeners. 

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

As part of our analysis we plan to examine the on-screen diversity of the BBC’s programming, including in its popular peak time shows. The review will ask 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. 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?

I feel like the BBC offers a lot of good range of shows to watch but still think paying £169 a year is expensive especially if you want to access Radio 1 Newsbeat which is already struggling to reach out to its main target audience of young teenagers as young people do not tend to listen to radio. However the BBC as a whole has various shows and TV programmes to watch and stick to its remit of trying their very best to Inform, Educate and Entertain.