Radio: Life Hacks

Our first CSP for radio is the BBC Radio 1 show Life Hacks.

Our key concepts for Radio are industries and audience so these are the contexts we need to consider when studying the texts. This video gives you a brief outline of the CSP and the contexts we need to study:



Previously on: The Surgery

Before being merged into Life Hacks, The Surgery was an evening radio show on BBC Radio 1 that ran between 1999 and 2017. Most recently, it was on every Wednesday at 9pm and ran for 60 minutes. It featured presenter Katie Thistleton and advice from Dr Radha Modgil.

It worked like an agony aunt column in old teenage magazines and took on controversial subjects such as gender identity, sexuality, relationships and mental health. It featured texts and calls from listeners and the post-watershed slot meant adult topics could be discussed.

The Surgery > Life Hacks

In November 2017, The Surgery was merged into a new Sunday afternoon show called Life Hacks that runs between 4pm – 6pm presented by Cel Spellman and Katie Thistleton. This mostly plays music but offers advice segments with Dr Modgil covering similar topics to The Surgery.

Although both The Surgery and Life Hacks ran in scheduled broadcast slots, in recent years the programme has been available as a podcast and encourages digital consumption and interaction. 

The Surgery



Life Hacks: Stormzy interview



Life Hacks: debt advice feature on BBC Sounds

Listen to this debt advice feature on BBC Sounds.


BBC Radio 1: History

BBC Radio 1 launched in 1967 playing pop music and using jingles in the style of American radio. It was a significant change from previous BBC content and was hugely popular in the 1970s and 1980s (some shows had 10m+ listeners). 

It became available on DAB digital radio in 1995 but not promoted until digital radios were more popular in 2002. It is available via digital TV and online via BBC Sounds.

Radio 1 is famous for events as well as radio – summer Roadshows, Big Weekends and the annual Teen Awards. 


Industries: Radio in decline

Although the BBC still boasts impressive audience figures for BBC Radio 2 and 4, it has struggled to attract young listeners to BBC Radio 1 in recent years.

Since 2010 listeners have declined – and although BBC R1 targets 15-29 year olds the average listener in 2017 was aged 30. Radio 1 is increasingly focusing on digital and social media with 16m weekly YouTube views reached in 2018.

Radio 1 Audience profile:

• Slightly more female than male
• 58% ABC1 (against population average of 55%)
• 90% white
• 41% of audience is in target audience range of 15-29
• Median age of 32

Industries: BBC remit and regulation

In 2011, BBC Radio 1 was part of a review into what the license fee should fund. Critics suggested that the content of BBC Radio 1 and 2 should be left to the commercial sector.

In response, the BBC made major changes at BBC Radio 1, aiming to re-target a core 15-24 audience and offering more diverse programming.

Since 2017, the BBC has been regulated by Ofcom. It is responsible for BBC content and ensuring it is delivering on its remit. 

BBC Radio 1 - Life Hacks: Blog tasks

Analysis

Read the notes and listen to the extracts from Life Hacks above before answering the following questions:

1) Go to the Life Hacks iPlayer page and analyse the content. What does this suggest regarding the Life Hacks audience and what the BBC is hoping to achieve with the programme?

2) Go to the Life Hacks podcast episodes page. Listen to a few episodes of the podcast and explain how the topics may a) appeal to a youth audience and b) help fulfil the BBC's responsibilities as a public service broadcaster. 

Media Factsheet

Read Media Factsheet #196 Close Study Product: Radio - Life Hacks. You'll need your Greenford google login to download it. Answer the following questions:

1) Read the first page of the factsheet. What content does Life Hacks offer to listeners?

2) Which of the five central purposes in the BBC's remit does Life Hacks cover?

3) Read the history of Radio 1 on page 2. Why was the launch of Radio 1 both significant and controversial?

4) Do you consider Life Hacks to be a 'distinctive offering' that helps the BBC to fulfil its public service broadcasting remit? Why?

5) Look at the figures on page 3 of the factsheet. How much does the BBC spend on Radio 1?

6) How has new technology impacted on radio?

7) What has Radio 1 done in response to the changes new technology have had on radio?

8) What are the audiences targeted by Radio 1 and Radio 1 Xtra? What is their actual audience?

9) Applying Gerbner's Cultivation theory, how might Life Hacks influence its listeners (or 'cultivate' certain views)?

10) Applying Hall's Reception theory, how might different audiences 'read' Life Hacks? What pleasures or reactions might different audiences have to the programme?

Audience contexts: additional reading

1) Read this short Guardian review of Life Hacks. What points does the reviewer make about Life Hacks and the particular podcast episode they listened to?

2) Read this NME feature on Radio 1 listener figures. What are the key statistics to take from this article regarding the decline in Radio 1 audience ratings?

Industry contexts: final tasks

1) How does Life Hacks meet the BBC mission statement to Educate, Inform and Entertain? 

2) Read the first five pages of this Ofcom document laying out its regulation of the BBC. Pick out three key points in the summary section.

3) Now read what the license framework will seek to do (letters a-h). Which of these points relate to BBC Radio 1 and Life Hacks?

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

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

Read this Guardian interview with BBC 1 Controller Ben Cooper.

6) What is Ben Cooper trying to do with Radio 1?

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

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

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

10) 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.

Due: next Monday.