1) What radio stations were offered by the BBC before 1967?
- BBC Radio Home (1939-1967) broadcasting education programmes and news. Mainly speech-based.
- BBC Radio Light (1945-1967) broadcasting mainly light entertainment (comedy / drama) and music.
- BBC Third (1946-1970) broadcasting intellectual arts-based talk and music.
- BBC Radio Home was replaced by Radio 4.
- BBC Radio Light was replaced by Radio 2.
- BBC Radio Third was replaced by Radio 3
These new stations were introduced as the old stations didn't appeal to a younger audience - they weren't seen as cool and were too formal.
3) What was pirate radio and why was it popular?
Pirate radio stations were offshore radio stations, meaning that British radio restrictions did not apply to them. This meant they were able to avoid 'Needle Time', where stations could only play five hours of music per day (out of the fear that records would become obsolete and unpopular as a result), and were therefore more popular with young people than the BBC.
4) Why did pirate radio stop broadcasting in 1967?
Pirate radio stopped broadcasting in 1967 after the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act passed in the same year, which officially outlawed pirate stations. The Government was able to close the legal loophole that allowed these stations to broadcast. This meant that fans of popular music had to go to BBC Radio 1 instead if they wanted to listen.
5) How did the BBC attract young audiences to Radio 1 after pirate radio stations were closed down?
BBC was able to attract young audiences to Radio 1 after the closure of pirate radio stations, as fans had to tune in to them to listen to the popular music pirate stations were previously streaming. They also 'stole' (employed) some of the pirate station DJs, bringing many of their listeners with them. Commercial radio didn't broadcast until 1973 so it had no competition. Radio 1 also developed better content more suitable to the target audience as it became more popular. In the 1970s and 1980s, Radio 1 became the most listened to station in the world with audiences regularly over 10 million.
6) What was 'needle time' and why was it a problem for BBC Radio?
'Needle Time' was a restriction placed on the BBC where they were only allowed to play 5 hours of music a day. This was passed by Musicians' Union and Phonographic Performance Limited, a music licensing company, after concerns that too much music on the radio would mean that people no longer buy records.
7) How did BBC Radio 1 offer different content to previous BBC radio stations?
Compared to previous BBC radio stations, BBC Radio 1 was much more informal and conversational. They had Tony Blackburn present / DJ, which meant that younger audiences were able to resonate with him (personal identity) as he was 24. The station also played popular music.
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 Radio 1 was Tony Blackburn. These new Radio 1 DJs initially caused upset as they were much less traditional in comparison to the more formal, previous BBC radio stations, and added comedy aspects to Radio 1.
9) Listen to excerpts from the Tony Blackburn's first 1967 broadcast - how might it have appealed to young listeners?
It may have appealed to young listeners as Tony Blackburn added a comedic aspect (diversion) with sound effects, such as the animal noises and the kneecap joke. The station played music all day, and introduced competitions, such as the competition to win a transistor radio. Blackburn also called out the address, encouraging audiences to send him letters that he could then read out - this acted as a form of audience interaction. He was also previously on Radio Caroline, a pirate station, so some of his listeners may have moved to Radio 1 alongside him. Radio 1 may have also appealed to young listeners as they might hear their favourite artist or band, appealing to their sense of personal identity.
10) How was Tony Blackburn's radio show more like pirate radio rather than traditional BBC radio content?
Tony Blackburn's show was more like pirate radio as it was informal and conversational, and played popular music all day, which traditional BBC didn't do. Traditional BBC content was seen as much more traditional and therefore boring by younger audiences, so Radio 1 presented itself in the opposite way to attract younger audiences.
Audience and industry
1) What was the target audience for BBC Radio 1 in 1967?
In 1967, the target audience for BBC Radio 1 was young people who were listening to pirate radio.
2) Why did Radio 1 initially struggle to attract young listeners?
Initially, Radio 1 struggled to attract young listeners because it was not seen as cool by them, as the BBC stood for traditional, conservative values. BBC Radio 1 also had to be broadcast simultaneously with Radio 2, so it had to have a more formal style than the pirate broadcasters. This made it more unpopular with young listeners.
3) What audience pleasures did Radio 1 offer listeners in 1967? (Use Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory).
Diversion
- Tony Blackburn's jokes
- The fact it plays music all day
- The use of background music and sound effects
- Animal noises, 'kneecap' joke
- Introduction of competitions
- Competition to find the clues and win a transistor radio
Personal Relationships
- Tony Blackburn was previously on Radio Caroline
- Loyal viewers will have followed him to BBC Radio 1
- Fans will have personal relationships with artists or bands featured on the station
- Ability to send letters to Tony Blackburn and have him read them out - mention the fan's name
Personal Identity
- Teenagers will find a sense of personal identity in the more laid-back format of the station
- Teenagers will find a sense of personal identity in the music played, which caters more to their generation
- Tony Blackburn reading out letters
Surveillance
- Learning about new records being released
- Learning about what music is popular 'currently'
4) How is the BBC funded?
The BBC is funded through their compulsory licence fee paid by the public, which was around £4 a year in the 1960s. Now, a TV licence costs £174.50 a year.
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 that BBC Radio 1 is cool, new, fresh, etc. as it is much less formal in comparison to previous BBC stations, similar to how pirate stations were at the time. Teenagers who take on the preferred reading would likely enjoy all of the music played, be interested in the competitions (such as the competition to win a transistor radio), want to send something to Tony Blackburn that he can read out, etc. Furthermore, they would also have likely been previous fans of Tony Blackburn from his time on Radio Caroline, and enjoy his familiar (to them) style of presenting.
The oppositional reading would be that BBC Radio 1 is 'lame', boring, or perhaps trying too hard to cater to teenagers / emulate pirate stations - it is a stark difference from previous BBC stations, which were very formal and more academic or arts based. Perhaps, audiences who take on the oppositional reading would not be fans of Tony Blackburn's humour or style of presenting, not be interested in the competitions, not enjoy the music, etc. Adults at the time would likely take on the oppositional reading because of the target audience being teenagers.
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