Radio: KISS FM Breakfast Show CSP

Audience

1) Read page 2. What is KISS FM's mission?

KISS FM's mission is to target a young audience, reaching them wherever, whenever, however they want. They want to create a constant stream of content to allow their audiences to hear, see, share and discover.

2) Look at page 3. What is the target audience for KISS FM? As well as writing the key statistics from the media pack, try and suggest what psychographic groups would fit the KISS audience too.

The target audience for KISS FM is aged 15 - 34. They have a 60 / 40 female to male split, and are united by their love for music. Tech especially is what excites them. Their audience is predominantly urban, but increasingly national with 65% now living outside London. They heavily enjoy social media.

The target audience would fit the psychographic groups of: The Explorer, as they have a need for discovery that KISS FM satisfies; The Mainstream, as KISS has a large audience, and perhaps The Struggler, as they can use the content produced by KISS to escape from their situation.

3) Now look at page 5 - The KISS network. How does KISS use digital media and technology to reach its audience?

KISS reaches its audience through a multi-platform strategy, such as timelines on YouTube, on-demand streaming, etc. They produce content around the music young people are currently into, and they also have a large social media presence.

4) Now look at the other side of page 5. What content do KISS Fresh and KISSTORY offer and how can audiences access those stations?

KISS FRESH offers first plays of the tracks from popular artists and producers in the industry. It plays urban and rhythmic tunes in Hip Hop, Dance, House and Afro beats. It is available on DAB (in London), Freeview, Sky, plus at KISSFMUK.COM, via the KISS Kube app, on social and at events.

KISSSTORY plays 'Old Skool' music and songs from R&B, Dance, Garage and Hip Hop. It is also available on DAB (in London), Freeview, Sky, plus at KISSFMUK.COM, via the KISS Kube app, on social and at events.

5) Read page 6. What are the different ways audiences can actively engage with the KISS radio brand?

Audiences can actively engage with the KISS Radio brand through: the KISS Kube app to stream shows from KISS; listening online through kissfmuk.com for news and reviews; through live events, and through radio.

6) Are listeners to the KISS Breakfast show active or passive? You can argue this point either way - explain your opinion in your answer.

The target audience that KISS describes is quite passive: "they want or already own the latest cool stuff and have the devices at their fingertips to facilitate this sense of immediacy. It’s more than just dual screening – it’s about using multiple devices simultaneously from a mobile, tablet, TV, and laptop." The idea that their target audience uses multiple devices at once and needs to be consuming media constantly suggests that their audience isn't actively engaged in watching or listening to the KISS Breakfast show, and are therefore passive and take in the intended message subconsciously.

However, I disagree with this. KISS runs real-life events that listeners attend, suggesting that they are active, alongside the fact that they use the KISS Kube app to access the specific content they want to watch or listen to. They are also involved with KISS through social media - KISS has a large social media following and audience interaction is integral to the Breakfast show itself. Listeners can also send in requests or shoutouts to friends through these platforms, as KISS is active across social media and regularly interacts with their audience, implying that the audience is active. 

7) Now think about the clips you've watched or listened to of the KISS FM Breakfast show with Jordan and Perri. What audience pleasures are offered by the KISS FM Breakfast show? Use Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory here.

Diversion:

• Light-hearted humour offers escapism and is entertaining
• Focus on gossip, entertainment and reality TV offers escapism
• Competitions on the show engage listeners

Personal Identity:

• Young, Black presenters may be relatable to younger Black audiences
• Jordan and Perri have been political campaigners and have been connected to political movements like Black Lives Matter, appealing to Black audiences who may have faced discrimination or are also advocates of the BLM movement
• They discuss many issues a young audience can identify with and relate to, such as relationships, being bored in lockdown, etc.
• Ethnically diverse guests may help engage their primarily Black audience
• Informal way of speaking targets a young audience

Personal Relationships:

• They may have some fans from being part of a dance troupe, Diversity, who appeared on Britain's Got Talent
• Jordan and Perri are friends and so have a natural chemistry that appeals to audiences
• Jordan and Perri have been connected to political movements like Black Lives Matter, perhaps creating a relationship with Black audience members
• The show will appeal to fans of celebrities who become guests on the Breakfast show
• Audiences can send in requests or shout outs to friends that are read out, creating a parasocial relationship

Surveillance:

• Parts of the Breakfast show offer education and information to listeners 
• Educational content is simple and easy to understand

8) How have audiences changed in terms of how they listen to music and radio since the 1960s?

Previously, radio was much more common as television was still in the process of becoming popular - it was people's main form of entertainment, and how most people listened to music. Radio was also used for more sophisticated discussions around art, literature, etc. on the older BBC stations. Teenagers mainly used pirate stations, as they were catered towards them, until the launch of BBC Radio 1, which was hugely popular at the time as there were no competitors.

Now, young people listen to radio significantly less as there are other forms of media that perhaps seem more exciting (shows, apps, games, etc.). People have also begun to prefer on-demand media consumption, specifically music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music over listening to scheduled music through the radio, which has led to KISS FM's decline in recent years.

9) How does the KISS FM Breakfast show contrast with Tony Blackburn's 1967 Radio 1 Breakfast show and the launch of BBC Radio 1?

There a variety of differences between the KISS FM Breakfast show and Tony Blackburn's Radio 1 Breakfast show: KISS FM has multiple competitors as there are more radio stations broadcasting, while BBC Radio 1 had virtually no competitors at all; KISS FM is much higher-quality (AM to FM to DAB); KISS FM is available on-demand, while BBC Radio 1 was not; KISS FM has two Black presenters and regularly features ethnically diverse guests, while BBC Radio 1 had a White presenter on a show which most likely did not feature non-White guests often.

10) Use Stuart Hall's Reception theory to offer a preferred and oppositional reading of the KISS FM Breakfast show. For the preferred reading, why do fans love the show? On the oppositional side, why might someone criticise the show or not want to listen?

For the preferred reading, it would likely be held by a younger audience who enjoy the music being played or can relate to the topics discussed on the show. They would support the political messages on the Breakfast show (Black Lives Matter campaign) and enjoy Jordan and Perri's humour, chemistry and 'banter.' They would also be fans of the celebrities featured on the show.

For the oppositional reading, it would most likely be held by older people who don't enjoy the humour in the same way a young person would, or would prefer older music over the modern music played on the show. Potentially, people who hold racist views would dislike the fact that two Black presenters host the show, or would be unsupportive of the political views held by them. They would not be fans of the celebrities featured on the show. Furthermore, another oppositional reading would be that the show is not fully enjoyable as it is live instead of on-demand.

The negotiated reading would be a combination of both, except people who take the racist oppositional reading would not enjoy the show in any way. 

Industry

1) When did KISS FM first launch and what type of station was it then?

KISS FM first launched on the 7th October, 1985 first as a pirate station, becoming a weekend operation as they were regularly taken off-air by authorities. It, over time, became legitimate as it grew in popularity enough to become a real competitor. It is now more mainstream and has been operating legally since 1990. It was then bought by the conglomerate Bauer Media.

2) Look at the Bauer Media Group's list of brands. How many different types of media can you find on there? What brands do you recognise?

There are multiple different types of media brands: radio stations, magazines, films, news, etc.

 

I recognise: KISS, Magic Radio, Grazia and Heat. 

3) How does KISS FM make money?

KISS FM makes money through advertising, sponsorships and events, such as summer festivals and the Wembley Arena Halloween Party. Brands can pay to have their product featured on the show either in ad breaks or as part of the show itself, and companies can also pay to sponsor shows, competitions or events during the broadcast. KISS also earn money from brands paying to be promoted through the KISS social media posts.

 

4) How many listeners does the KISS Breakfast show have and how has this changed in recent years?

The KISS Breakfast show currently has 980,000 listeners. During the time Rickie, Melvin and Charlie hosted, the Breakfast show had over 2 million listeners, but by the time Jordan and Perri took over this figure was already down to 1.4 million listeners. The figure has been steadily decreasing. 

5) How is KISS FM regulated and what can happen if they break the rules?

KISS FM, and all radio is regulated by Ofcom. Ofcom has a broadcasting code that all shows must follow, including leaving out anything inappropriate for younger listeners.

In 2006, KISS was fined a record fee (for any UK commercial radio station) of £175,000 by media regulator Ofcom. Ofcom punished KISS for "numerous and serious breaches" of broadcasting codes after receiving 10 complaints from April to November 2005. They involved prank calls on the Bam Bam breakfast show where consent was not sought from the victims and controversial material (swearing and discussions of pornography) aired when children were likely to be listening. KISS said it accepted the findings and apologised for any offence.