TV: Postmodernism and Deutschland 83

What do the titles The Surgery and Life Hacks suggest?

The title "The Surgery" suggests that there is going to be topics such as health and wellbeing, being discussed on the panel and you will be getting advice from a doctor about certain issues that you are experiencing in your life.

2) How are the programmes constructed to appeal to a youth audience?

The way the programme is constructed to appeal to a youth audience is by the informal language that is used which is making it a very friendly radio channel where anything can be discussed. There is also a lot of audience participation used where they will phone up and ask the panel the questions and the doctor will answer them who is in the studio as well.

3) What does the choice of presenter (e.g. Katie Thistleton) and Dr Modgil suggest about the BBC’s approach to diversity and representation?
The presenter of the radio show and the doctor in the studio is both female. This suggests that BBC's approach to diversity and representation is positive because the females are leading and also it gives it a bit more of a friendly and calm atmosphere compared to men who are a bit more loud and rough. 

4) Look at this promotional graphic produced by BBC for The Surgery. How does it construct a representation of a youth audience?

This graphic constructs a representation of a youth audience because of the fonts and colours that are used. They are very friendly and youth colours and the font is quite nice. Also on the graphic there are a lot of emojis used which reflects youth because most youngsters use emojis when texting on their phone. Finally, there are also hashtags used and links to websites which is a representation of the youth audience. 

5) Now look at the graphic from a digital media perspective: how does it suggest audiences are listening to and interacting with BBC broadcasts in the digital media landscape?

From the digital media perspective, it suggests audiences are listening to BBC broadcasts on their phone, online or in the car. People will listen to it in the car because that is how most people will travel to work or other places. Others will listen to it on their phone and computer through the app due to the advancement of technology and most people travel using public transport. 

Audience

1) What is the target audience for BBC Radio 1?

The target audience for BBC Radio 1 is a youth audience because of the type of language that is used when speaking on the microphone. It could be from 15 - 50 because of the range of music put on. But they are trying to target a youth audience. 

2) Who is the actual audience for BBC Radio 1?

The actual audience for BBC Radio 1 is quite mainstream because of the music that is played on it. The audience is older people from 30 onwards. But the target audience is youth. 

3) What audience pleasures are offered by The Surgery and Life Hacks? Apply Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory.

Some of the audience pleasures that are offered The Surgery and Life Hacks are surveillance because you are learning and getting advice to problems that you maybe experiencing. Another one is personal relationships because you may start to like the presenter and the show and may start to listen to it frequently when it comes on. Some people can use it for diversion, just for entertainment.

4) Read these Guardian reviews of The Surgery and Life Hacks. What do the reviews praise the programmes for?

The Surgery is praised for the presenter who is always warm and sympathetic, encouraging her young audience to not only get in touch with the programme but to talk to the right support agencies, and, indeed, to friends and family about any problems they might have.

The life hacks is praised for bringing on big celebrities such as Stormzy and how he discusses in depth topics like black people and how he is trying to help them in terms of education. Her also tells people about a book that he is writing.

The Surgery Guardian review

Life Hacks Guardian review

5) 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?

The key statistics to take from this article regarding the decline in Radio 1 audience ratings are Radio 1 has lost 200,000 weekly listeners since May, when they attracted 9.4 million listeners a week. The station is also still the top choice for listeners aged 15 to 24 in the UK. Despite the overall decline, outgoing Breakfast Show host Nick Grimshaw has actually seen a slight increase in his ratings – pulling in an extra 300,000 listeners since May for a new total of 5.3 million.

Industries

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

The way the The Surgery and Life Hacks meet the BBC mission statement to Educate, Inform and Entertain is by using strategies to target their audiences such as one will use informal tone of language when speaking about the topics to give a friendly atmosphere. The other will bring in celebrities to keep them entertained and inform them about the problems in the world and educate them about this.

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.

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.  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).3 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.

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

Support social action campaigns on BBC radio. We are requiring Radio 1 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.

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

Increase requirements around programmes for children, support a wide range of valued genres and support regional and national audiences, and creative economies across the UK because this will allow them to gain a wider audience and also support the mission statement which is to Educate, Inform and Entertain. 

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

We are also announcing an in-depth review of how different audiences are represented and portrayed on the BBC. All audiences should feel that the BBC offers something for them, however, our research shows that several groups feel that it does not adequately represent their interests or lives.

Read this Guardian interview with BBC 1 Controller Ben Cooper.

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

Ben Cooper’s eye-catching and ambitious mission to make BBC Radio 1 like a Netflix for radio would make an ideal entry point to an interview with the station’s controller. But this isn’t any ordinary week. On Friday, the BBC announced that Cooper would be getting a new boss, and a controversial one at that. From the end of this month James Purnell, the BBC’s director of strategy and education, will be taking responsibility for radio as part of a new, expanded division.

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

He is starting out with 25 hours of on-demand “phone-first” content, such as a weekly “Top 10 most-played tracks of the week” programme, but intends to seriously ramp up the hours next year. “In this job, you’ve got to keep across what young audiences are doing. They want content on whatever device they are using, increasingly the phone, when they want it, and that is the key for us to stay relevant and stay young.

8) Why does he suggest Radio 1 is distinctive from commercial radio?
Major successes include the station’s YouTube channel, which now has almost 3.5 million subscribers and more than 1bn views. While BBC Radio 1 may be blooming nicely on new digital channels, Cooper remains under pressure to bring the age of listeners of BBC Radio 1 down. The target is 15- to 29-year-olds, the average is 32.  Earlier this year, the station’s breakfast show audience reached its lowest level in more than 13 years.


9) Why is Radio 1 increasingly focusing on YouTube views and digital platforms?
The 46-year-old is armed with some statistics of his own to illustrate his point. Using figures based on those aged 10 and up, he reckons the most common age of a Radio 1 listener is 18. And for its YouTube channel it is 12- to 17-year-old females. “There is no holy grail of one single digital footprint figure in the industry unfortunately.

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

I think that the BBC should remit include targeting young audiences via Radio 1 because they need to support their statement which is to Educate, Inform and Entertain and most youth people need this because they are young and are still part of the learning process.