BBC radio

As this study focuses on radio programmes, it’s useful to take a brief look at BBC radio and some developments in radio generally. The BBC has five major national radio stations, and in recent years some further national stations have been introduced on digital radio platforms.

There is also a network of local stations and for a world-wide audience, the BBC produces the Foreign Office funded BBC World Service. The World Service is a major source of news and information and can be received in 150 capital cities worldwide, with the weekly

audience estimated to be 163 million listeners worldwide. The Service currently broadcasts in 33 languages and dialects (including English), though not all languages are broadcast in all areas. BBC One and BBC Two are the BBC’s flagship television channels, but the BBC also runs six other channels via digital television. In addition to this BBC Worldwide is responsible for commercial programmes and properties including a number of television stations such as BBC World and BBC Prime.

The fast development of DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting, a technology for the broadcasting of audio using digital radio transmission) in the UK can be explained by unusual co-operation between commercial radio and the BBC that has enabled the enterprise to expand and flourish. The UK currently has the world’s biggest digital radio sector with 103 transmitters, broadcasting over 250 commercial and 34 BBC radio stations across the UK. Rajar’s first quarter of 2008 figures revealed that 27.3% of the adult population now has a DAB set at home, and almost a third of the population (31.4 %) listens to digital radio at least once a week with DAB being the dominant technology. Overall, digital radio has 17.8 % share of all radio listening, including 10.8% via DAB, 3.2% digital TV, and 2.1%

listening on the Internet, another 1.7% was digital but unspecified. (Rajar figures)

Like most providers, the BBC is using the new digital platform to rebroadcast existing services, as well as launch new ones. For example, previously the only way British listeners could hear the World Service Radio was either to tune into a BBC local frequency at night or to live in the south east of the country and listen to the AM band. Now World Service can be listened to 24 hours a day through the digital platform.

It is difficult to foresee the consequences of digital technology for radio, especially with further developments emerging. New mobile multimedia technologies are bringing digital radio (and television) to mobile hand-held services, and that may re-engage young listeners with radio. The statistics indicate that the proportion that listens via mobile phones is far bigger among young adults. In addition 3G, the third generation mobile phone technologies, offer an even wider range of more advanced services such as broadband wireless data,

bypassing the computer altogether. Radio is also available through the internet and through television sets, something that was not predicted at the beginning of the decade. According to SONY/ICM research (2007), the 21^st century listener in the UK has following habits.

*Three in ten people listen to radio via the internet

* Four in ten people listen to radio via digital television.

*One in five people listens to radio on an MP3 player etc.

*One in eight people listens via a mobile phone with a built in tuner.

*One in three 18-24 year olds listens via mobile.

*Nearly a fifth of radio listening is via new platforms. (Sony/ICM research 2007)

4.3.1 “Did the iPod kill the radio star?”

The Internet has proved to be a very successful platform for delivering audio content for Live Streaming and for Listen Again services, where people can catch programmes that they might have missed earlier in the week. The Internet has also enabled broadcasters, newspapers, and other producers of audio to potentially reach a whole new audience via Podcasts.

Podcasting, a converged medium that brings together audio, the web and MP3 player, may have been described as a revolutionary development only four years ago but nowadays it is a well established practise in radio culture. Podcasting works like a newspaper subscription except it is audio files that are delivered to the computer rather than papers dropped through the door. For the BBC, for example, Podcasting is an extension of their public service mission to find ways of making their content available to the licence fee payer on multiple platforms. Many of the BBC shows and news programmes are now available as

downloadable MP3 files, or special Podcast editions.

A shared view in the radio industry, at least for while, was that the Podcasts’ rising

popularity was challenging conventional radio broadcasting. In his article “Did the iPod Kill the Radio Star” Berry (2006) gives an insight into the history of podcasting and into

speculations about its threat to the industry. He notes that whilst some observers feel that Podcasting is the end for radio and others claim it will be a short-lived fad, it is more likely to prove a first step on a long road to change. Berry suspects that like other trends before it, aspects of Podcasting will wither and disappear as the next “new” medium is launched.

There also those who argue that podcasting could have a positive effect on live radio

listening, and instead of being a replacement of radio it gives the audience more control and freedom over their listening habits.

Berry argues that the shared experience of live radio (social listening at breakfast time, large sporting events and so on) should secure a place for broadcast radio in the digital future.

However, he also believes that in the future live broadcast will need to become more

interactive, more drawn to speech-driven or excitement-driven formats, offering content not available on other platforms. The iPod has not killed the radio star (yet) but it may need some retuning, Berry concludes. (ibid.)