Introduction to Radio: blog tasks

Introduction to Radio: blog tasks

BBC Sounds:

1) Why does the article suggest that ‘on the face of it, BBC Radio is in rude health’?

It has half the national market, with dozens of stations reaching more than 34 million people a week. Radio 2 alone reaches 15 million listeners a week and for all the criticism of the Today programme, one in nine Britons still tune in to hear John Humphrys and his co-presenters harangue politicians every week.

2) What percentage of under-35s use the BBC iPlayer catch-up radio app?

Purnell says just 3% of under-35s use the iPlayer catch-up radio app.

3) What is BBC Sounds?

A new app and website which will bring radio livestreams, catchup services, music mixes and podcasts together under one roof.

4) How do audiences listen to radio content in the digital age?

-  Spotify has started to include a large number of podcasts; including BBC material.

- A growing number of people listen to the radio via voice assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa.

5) What does Jason Phipps suggest is important for radio and podcast content aimed at younger audiences?

They need to reconsider the entire tone of how the BBC tells stories, shifting away from rigid formality if it wants to attract the precious under-35 audience: “It has to be a warmer, more story-led journey. You need to report the very personal experience of it.''

6) Why does the BBC need to stay relevant?

Because it is one of the oldest broadcasting channels that's been around from the beginning days and it'd be a shame if BBC becomes extinct because they're not able to keep up with changes in society and development in technology because they've made the effort to try by introducing things such as BBC iPlayer and BBC sounds to keep up to date and attract a younger audience. 

7) What content does the BBC Sounds app offer?

The BBC sounds app is a radio station aimed at a younger audience where they can listen to radio on their phones as it more convenient for them to listen to it from where they are. Other than music, the topics of discussion are chosen specifically to suit a younger audience as they discuss social issues that young people would be more interested in and passionate about e.g. the LGBTQ society which older people wouldn't really want to discuss as they are less accepting of this. 

8) How does it link to BBC Radio?

It is quite similar to BBC radio as but the only difference is that the content has been changed to suit a different audience as they play different types of music and discuss different topics to suit their target audience.

9) What are the criticisms of the BBC Sounds app?

Sounds is easy to use, though I found the programme information a little tricky to access, and the search – as ever with the BBC – isn’t sensitive enough. My other main problem is there isn’t enough content. The BBC has thousands of amazing audio programmes! If you browse podcasts via, say, the Apple Podcasts app, you have 16 categories to choose from, and within each, at least 20 series to try. Sounds needs to feel as packed as Netflix in order to properly work.

10) Two new podcasts were launched alongside the BBC Sounds app. What are they and why might they appeal to younger audiences?

The Fear, The NoSleep Podcast, Spooked.

ShoutOut Network

1) What is the ShoutOut Network?

ShoutOut Network is a London-based network of diverse podcasts.

2) What podcasts are offered by the ShoutOut Network?

They offer a diverse range of podcasts to suit different target audience e.g. Wolves in The City is fortnightly podcast for black men exploring their sexuality in the city.

3) What audience do they reach?

Race wise they're aimed at a broad and diverse audience but when it comes to age, their main target market would millennial's and the younger audience as ShoutOut Network talk about issues that may not usually be regarding on usual radios and podcasts which are usually created to grab the older audience's attention. 

4) What are the 2015 statistics on podcast listening in the UK?

From Autumn 2015 approximately 3.7 million adults listened to podcasts which is around 6.5% of the adult population. 

5) The article suggests podcasts are ‘picking up more steam’. Do you think podcasts the future of radio?

Podcasts could potentially be the future of radio as people are able to access it more easily whenever and wherever they want in most cases, they could even download it to listen to it later on when they don't have data or signal. This makes it more convenient for people especially as many people in the city lead a busy life with a packed schedule so it'd be most appropriate for them to download podcasts and listen to them during their journey's rather than radios are radios are usually a live stream.