Media Studies - BBC1 Breakfast Show

Who hosts the BBC1BS, as of 2023?

Greg James

Who were previous hosts of the BBC1BS?

Nick Grimshaw, and before him Chris Moyles, who was the longest host to date (8 years).

How many weekly listeners do Magic Radio, who owns it, and who are their target audience?

They have 3M listeners per week, and their target audience is 25-34, and its owner by Bauer Radio.

How many listeners listen to Absolute Radio’s Breakfast show?

2.58m per week.

What are the biggest differences inbetween PSBs and Commercial Radio?

• PSBs are held to much higher standards by viewers.

• Commercial stations aren’t impartial.

• Commercial stations are funded by adverts.

• PSBs have restrictions and aren’t creatively free.

What is the BBCs mission statement?

“The mission of the BBC is to act in the public interest, serving all audiences through the provision of impartial, high quality and distinctive output which informs, educates and entertains.” - Lord John Reith (Reithian values)

How is the BBC funded?

Through the TV license, paid by the UK public.

How much is the TV license?

£159, £53.50 if you have a black & white TV.

How many radio stations do the BBC run?

57

Who regulates radio?

OFCOM (Office of Communications, govt. approved)

How did Greg James join the BBC1BS?

Greg James made a point to make the viewers feel important and valued, contrasting Nick Grimshaw who had become very ‘who you know’. He let viewers choose his first ever song on the BS, ‘Levels’ by Avicii.

How does Greg James engage with his audience?

He asks the audience questions and looks at answers live on social media websites, and he uses Web 2.0 to connect with the audience. He has a personal twitter, discord, snapchat, tiktok, email etc.

What is an example of Greg James engaging with his audience?

Train Jane, a woman whose daughter tweeted that her mum had spotted Greg James on a train, she was brought onto the show to talk with James as she was a fan, and it received 1.2mil views.

What is the Radio One playlist and how is it chosen?

The music on the show is decided by a committee, who choose 40 records each week and they become repeated (A-list: 25 plays, B-list: 15, C-list: 10). Choices are partly guided by young online generations, and older songs tend not to be played unless they have come back into popularity. There’s also a ‘Brit-List’ to support British artists.

What is the BBC contracted to offer/do?

A range of new music.

Support emerging artists, especially UK based artists

Provide a live music platform.

News, documentaries and advice campaigns should cover areas of relevance to inform and educate young adults.

Offer at least 2 social action campaigns supported across daytime output and online.

Broadcast at least 40 new documentaries to inform and educate.

How did BBC radio, and radio in general, get a revival?

Through the online - at first BBC Radio 1 was uploaded to BBC iPlayer, but that didn’t gain enough traction so they started BBC Sounds, making radio stations and podcasts available live via the internet. The use pf internet made it cheaper to create stations and made access easier for listeners.

How did the pandemic affect BBCBS?

There was a shift in listening habits, as people no longer listened on their way to school or work, as there was no where to go. James’ breakfast show fell from over 5 million listeners in 2019 to 4.3 million during the pandemic.

How many listeners did Greg James cause the BS to gain with him as host?

150,000 new listeners joined when Greg James started.

When did BBC Radio recently have a huge increase in listeners?

Summer 2022 due to an incredibly hot summer, with 33 million listeners per week live.

How many listeners does BBC1BS have in comparison to BBC2BS?

BS1 has an average of 4.32 million listeners per week, whilst BS2 had 7.37.

How many people in the UK listen to radio weekly?

89% or 49 million.

How many listeners does the BBC have in comparison to Commercial radio?

Commercial radio has 38 million, whereas the BBC has 33 million.

Have BBC Radio 1’s numbers went up or down from the last quarter?

They are down, with the old numbers at 8.1 million and the new numbers at 7.8 million.

What do the BBC and Commercial radio fund to research listening figures?

RAJAR.