Radio Unit - Lesson 2

Late Night Women's Hour - Criticisms

• Boring and dull.

• Show has an extremely middle class focus due to the topics (Hygge).

• There is an all female panel so this show could be seen as sexist.

• The show is not relatable to the majority of the audience due to the topics (IKEA).

• They make out IKEA is too common which makes them come across as pretentious.

• 'A winter mug' isn't relatable to the audience.

• There is an obsession with the danish and scandinavian culture which is quite a middle class thing to aspire to showing the cultural capital. Therefore again not being relatable to the audience.

• The way they talk about food and somewhere to live they talk like its an adventure whereas to other people (the audience) see food and a house as essential so they are out of touch with the panel.

• The BBC has a remit (something they must do) which is a legal obligation themselves to create a diversification of media output. 

• The BBC have a remit to show diversification in media outputs. (example: Jeremy Clarkson being kept on Top Gear for so long due to him showing that the BBC weren't bias to the left wing as Jeremy Clarkson was a far right wing person it appealed to more audiences)

• The BBC is a public broadcasting service (PBS) so they need to appeal to every single audience.

• The BBC were cutting costs so they sold Great British Bake Off which they got heavily criticised because of it.

• The BBC is an institution that has certain cultural capital.

• BBC is paid for by the people.

We are discussing an oppositional reading, what has been written above isn't the dominant ideology and shows how audiences can have different perceptions and readings of the producers imposed ideology (Reception Theory - Stuart Hall)

How have digital platforms changed the way we consume radio?

• You can now listen to radio on your phone through websites.

• Podcasts on youtube/Spotify.

• DAB radio in cars - more popular than FM/AM.

• Apps for some radio shows.

• BBCSounds

• Podcasts allow you to skip to the parts you want to. Don't need to listen to it live you can listen to it whenever you want.

• Some programmes you can actually watch the presenter talking live which brings a visual element to radio which was never there before.

• Radio gives audiences the sense of someone talking to you which is direct address and like you're hanging out with the presenters.

• Social Media allows audiences to interact with the radio shows thanks to digital technology.

• Apps offer a better user experience for the user (UX).

• Downloading podcasts onto your phone you can listen to it offline.

• You can use your phone anywhere to listen to radio.

• DIGITAL CONVERGENCE
• Where stuff comes together

• Audio Streaming
• Where listeners can click on a link to play a radio programme instantly over the internet.
• Everyone around the world can get access to this.
• The ability for audio streaming to be accessed via the internet has added a global reach to radio output as listeners abroad can also tune in to programming.
• Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB)
• A greater number of wavelengths and therefore stations are available with digital audio.
• The use of DAB has increased the amount of stations allowing for niche programming and also improved quality to encourage more listeners.
• Podcasts
• Programmes are packaged and available as downloadable content on a range of different platforms
• Listening to radio programming in podcast form is more flexible for audiences and allows audiences who have missed the broadcast programme to listen
• Cross Platform
• The combination of visuals with audio output and availability of radio through television platforms
• The combination of media platforms has allowed radio to utilise visual elements such as web cams to remain appealing to a modern audience

Regulation

• Radio is regulated by OFCOM.

• Localness

• The BBC need to make sure that the radio shows have an element of being local.

• Content

• Radio and TV in the UK is broadly self-regulated.

• LNWH is broadcast after the 9pm watershed.

• The regulation is largely ineffective as although the show is past the watershed people are allowed to watch it whenever through digital technology. All it takes to watch something that is regulated as not ideal to watch is a few clicks to confirm your age which can be easily lied about, making the regulation of radio ineffective as it is extremely hard to regulate.

• A LNWH's radio episode contained 4 fucks, 2 shits, 2 arses, 2 bastards this was heavily criticised by The Sun as they are massive competitors against the BBC. They believed that it shouldn't be acceptable to show this due to the ideologies etc of the show.

Plurality

• Where a media product exhibits and gives voice to a wide range of ideological perspectives.

• The BBC is a public service broadcaster, it has a self-imposed remit to 'Inform, Educate and Entertain'.

• The BBC tries to offer different radio shows for different audiences.