BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat

 1) Use BBC Sounds to listen to Radio 1. Scroll to a Newsbeat bulletin (8am or 12.45pm are good options) and write notes on how the bulletins may: 


a) appeal to a youth audience 

  • Music - upbeat at various sections
  • Has a news story which talks about a 17-year-old kid - personal identity (Blumler and Katz: Uses and Gratifications theory)
  • Talking about footballers wives 
  • Football - England vs Italy
  • Netflix - targets the younger audiences

b) help fulfil the BBC's responsibilities as a public service broadcaster. 
  • Informing and educating - Israel and Palestine conflict e.g. stats, interviews with professors, journalists and citizens.
  • Representation - having a translator speak, translating for what someone was saying showing diversity.
  • News story about 17-year-old and homelessness - covers representation of the youth and the poor.
  • Entertainment - Documentary for footballers wives, Football - Italy vs England, Netflix story
  • Plays a song at the end with a mixture of English and Punjabi lyrics - reflects diversity of Britain. 

Media Factsheet #224: Industrial contexts of Radio

1) Read the first two pages of the factsheet. How does the Factsheet argue that radio still has cultural significance in the digital age? 

It accompanies us in our car, comes with us on mobile phones, found at home on TV and voice activated speakers. Can be used through Bluetooth which many people use now day. It is also a medium which has air's comedy, drama, sports and many more genres. "Radio content sparks the imagination in a totally different way than visual mediums and this is why it still remains hugely popular with audiences".

2) Look at the page 4 section on media theories. Briefly summarise the ideas of Curran and Seaton, Hesmondhalgh and Livingstone and Lunt.

  • Curran and Seaton - Dennis Deninger argues that as 'newspapers are vanishing' and so 'the loss of radio station leaves a community with another cultural and informational deficit'.
  • Hesmondhalgh - 'The media put profit before creativity'
  • Livingston and Lunt - Media regulation should have a consumer-based approach'  

3) What is the definition of public service broadcasting?

PSB - broadcasting intended for public benefit rather than commercial interest. Regulated by a regulating body e.g. Ofcom, which places certain requirements for TV channels and radio's to follow remits.

4) Look at the list of eight key principles for BBC Radio on page 6 of the factsheet. Choose the three you think are most significant and explain why.

  1. Universal geographic accessibility – you can listen to radio anywhere in the country. 
  2. Attention to minorities – inclusive and non-tokenistic programming.
  3. Guidelines that liberate rather than restrict – enabling creativity.
For radio to flourish it must be accessible everywhere. It should also include the un/misrepresented, and there also should be guidelines which promote entertainment and there shouldn't be extremely strict guidelines, only guidelines which are on offensive or crime unless comedy or if a crime show was being hosted on the radio.

5) What does the Factsheet suggest is the future of PSB radio and how might Radio 1 fit into this?

It cant afford the youth paying for it it so a license fee may be introduced or a subscription. YouTube is also a threat to radio with more visual forms, but this is why Radio 1 offers different things such as live events and weekend festival etc. rather then the show only by itself.

Newsbeat analysis


Industry contexts: reading and research


1) Pick out three key points in the 'Summary' section.

  • The public have high expectations of the BBC
  • The BBC must meet the regulatory conditions set by Ofcom
  • The BBC are required to reflect the diversity of the UK population

2) Now read what the license framework will seek to do (letters a-h). Which of these points could we relate to BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat?

  • Strengthen news and current affairs rules - They plan to reach the widest audience, so by BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat targeting the youth, this fulfils the requirement as they are targeting the age group which they have less products for.
  •  Support social action campaigns on BBC radio - By BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat being a news show, this promotes and informs the listeners about certain causes or news stories.
  • Require the BBC to reflect the full diversity of the UK population - BBC Radio Newsbeat 1 has a range of different hosts from different backgrounds, ethnicities, classes and regions from the UK.

3) Which do you think are the three most important aspects in the a-h list? Why?

  • Strengthen news and current affairs rules
  • Support social action campaigns on BBC radio
  • Require the BBC to reflect the full diversity of the UK population
These are important as by being a news broadcaster they should be targeting as many people as they can and should be promoting about supporting certain causes and campaigns. They should also reflect the diversity of the UK population to be more inclusive and also target a wide range of audiences.

4) Read point 1.9: What do Ofcom plan to review in terms of diversity and audience? 

They plan to examine all their on-screen diversity and also ask audiences if they feel if they being represented or if other groups are so they can deliver for all audiences.

5) Based on your reading and research, do you think BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat offers licence fee payers good value for money?

In my opinion, BBC Radio Newsbeat 1 doesn't offer good value for money only as due to the fact that they are trying to target younger audiences of teenage youth, but the actual value for the target audience is 41%, so is failing to meet this.


1) What was Ben Cooper trying to do with Radio 1?

He is trying to make a Netflix with Radio 1. He is also getting a new boss who was the BBC's director of strategy and education, who was also former Labour cabinet minister, which is labelled by the Conservative as controversial as it breaks BBC's impartiality rule.

2) How does he argue that Radio 1 is doing better with younger audiences than the statistics suggest?

He argues that most people who listen to Radio 1 are age 18 and on their YouTube channel there are 12 to 17-year-old females.

3) Why does he suggest Radio 1 is distinctive from commercial radio?

He argues that Radio 1 plays "40,000" different tracks a month whilst commercial radio stations only play around "400" different tracks a month, and so they need hit music to get their audiences in and expose them to music.

4) Why is Radio 1 increasingly focusing on YouTube views and digital platforms?

By focusing on YouTube views and digital platforms will be where the young audiences will be which will help target the audience Radio 1 is looking for. 

5) In your opinion, should the BBC’s remit include targeting young audiences via Radio 1 or should this content be left to commercial broadcasters? Explain your answer.

In my opinion BBC should target young audiences via Radio 1 and they shouldn't leave it for commercial broadcasters as the media is a business, and a business should do whatever it can to maximise profits.

Extension task: new Media Factsheet!

There is now a Factsheet for the Radio 1 Newsbeat CSP. Read Factsheet #246 BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat. This would be ideal revision for the CSP and Radio topic.

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