Introduction to radio: blog tasks

Introduction to radio: blog tasks

Create a new blogpost called 'Introduction to Radio' on your Media 2 Coursework blog and complete the following tasks:

BBC Sounds

Read this Guardian feature on the launch of BBC Sounds and answer the following questions:

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 (“editorially I think it’s in brilliant shape,” says Purnell), 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?

"just 3% of under-35s use the iPlayer catch-up radio app"

3) What is BBC Sounds?

"a new app and website that formally launches on Tuesday with a glitzy event at Tate Modern. It 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?

"Convincing people to break their existing habits and put their trust in a BBC-only app will not be easy. Spotify has started to include a large number of podcasts – including BBC material – directly in its app and a growing number of people listen to the radio via voice assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa. Although there is the prospect of commercial radio being added later, industry voices have raised concerns that the app is a solution in search of a non-existent problem."

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

"He says there is a 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.

BBC Sounds listeners will get personalised recommendations.Photograph: BBC

“The very best stories are fundamentally anchored around the personal experience. You’re trying to find the human in the machine. Journalists have a process but younger audiences can find that very cold and want to access the actual response of human beings. They really want to understand the heart of the story.”"

6) Why does the BBC need to stay relevant?

“You have to win the case for free speech over and over again,” he says. “For the last few generations people have taken it for granted. It’s absolutely core to us to present everyone with that wide range of views. That doesn’t mean you have to suspend your judgment.”

Now read this review of the BBC Sounds app.

7) What content does the BBC Sounds app offer?

"The big idea is that you download the app and then go to BBC Sounds for anything audio (apart from long-form audio books). Music, news, drama, documentaries, true crime, comedy – if you want it in your ears, you start with the orange button."

8) How does it link to BBC Radio?

Lets you listen to live BBC radio

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

"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?

End of Days and Beyond Today

ShoutOut Network

Read this Huffington Post feature on the Shout Out Network and answer the following questions:

1) What is the ShoutOut Network?

a London-based network of diverse podcasts

2) What podcasts are offered by the ShoutOut Network?

They have seen continual growth to their roster of conversational shows adding pop-culture literature podcast Mostly Lit, carefree comedy duo Two Fools Talking, theatre and music aficionados Artistic State of Mind and brand new football show Top 4mation.

3) What audience do they reach?

20,000 listeners per month, of which 92% are from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities

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

from autumn 2015, 3.7 million adults listen to podcasts which equate to 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?

I really do believe podcasts are the natural evolution of Radio as they can be consumed on demand and do not require the listener to sit and watch. Quite a lot of people are making a U-turn back to audio based media because of the convenience.