Radio: Launch of Radio 1 CSP case study

 Historical, social and cultural contexts

1) What radio stations were offered by the BBC before 1967?

BBC 1 radio launch. 

2) How was BBC radio reorganised in September 1967? What were the new stations that launched?

the importance of radio in 1967. Television was not yet universally available and radio was the key entertainment device. The radio provision in the mid-1960s was:

BBC Radio Home (1939-1967) broadcasting education programmes and news. Mainly speech-based. Replaced by Radio 4.

3) What was pirate radio and why was it popular?

Pop’ music was becoming more popular and attitudes in young people were becoming more relaxed.  There was clearly a need for a radio outlet for this music with a less formal presentation style; but there was nothing on the BBC. This led to the growth of ‘pirate’ radio stations who could produce these shows for young people.

4) Why did pirate radio stop broadcasting in 1967?

There were concerns that too much music on the radio would mean that people would no longer buy records.

5) How did the BBC attract young audiences to Radio 1 after pirate radio stations were closed down?

BBC 1 attracted young audiences as they were told announcing if you wanted to listen to popular music go to radio 1.

6) What was 'needle time' and why was it a problem for BBC Radio?
Needle time was where you could only listen to radio music for five hours everyday. It was problem for BBC radio because then people started listening to music through illegal websites. 

7) How did BBC Radio 1 offer different content to previous BBC radio stations?

The stations are completely different and have been growing further apart in recent years. Radio 1 is singularly focused on its young audience and reaches more than a third of the nation's 15 to 24-year-olds, while Radio 2's average age has remained above 50 and reaches 3.6 million listeners aged 65 and over

8) Who was the first presenter for BBC Radio 1 and why did these new Radio 1 DJs cause upset initially at the traditional BBC  The first presenter for BBC 1 was Tony Blackburn's with with Robin Scott. 

9) Listen to excerpts from the Tony Blackburn's first 1967 broadcast - how might it have appealed to young listeners?
He had positive energy and he presented music as happy and friendly. 

10) What conventions did Tony Blackburn's radio show borrow from pirate radio - which made it very different to previous BBC radio content?

BBC 1 tried to be exactly like radio 2 they used the same music and added shout outs 

and tried making it more american 

Audience and industry

1) What was the target audience for BBC Radio 1 in 1967?

The Radio 1 target audience in 1967 was young people who were listening to pirate radio

2) Why did Radio 1 initially struggle to attract young listeners?

• It was not seen as ‘cool’ by many young people as the BBC stood for traditional, conservative values.
• It struggled financially as there was no increase in the licence fee to pay for this extra radio station.

3) What audience pleasures did Radio 1 offer listeners in 1967? (Use Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory).

The audience pleasures that Radio 1 offered listeners in 1967 were diversion/ entertainment as the radio kept the audience busy from their daily problems and were able to escape their daily lives for a few moments. Vicarious pleasure might also be seen as the audience may feel a physical thrill from different popular music being listened to.  

4) How is the BBC funded?

BBC is funded by the money people pay for having a TV license fee. 

5) Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would the preferred and oppositional readings have been for BBC Radio 1 in 1967? The preferred reading would be be that the audience of pirate radio would start listening to BBC and young people would think BBC is cool and awesome whilst the oppositional reading would be that a young audience would think BBC is boring, out of date and for old people.