radio

Radio 1 Launch CSP: blog tasks

Work through the following questions to complete your first Radio case study on the launch of BBC Radio 1:

Historical, social and cultural context

the radio station offered is the pirates

 What was pirate radio and why was it popular?

 Why did pirate radio stop broadcasting in 1967?

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

 What was 'needle time' and why was it a problem for BBC Radio?

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

 Who was the first presenter for BBC Radio 1 and why did these new Radio 1 DJs cause upset initially at the traditional BBC?

 Listen to excerpts from the Tony Blackburn's first 1967 broadcast - how might it have appealed to young listeners?

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

Audience and industry

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

 Why did Radio 1 initially struggle to attract young listeners?

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

 How is the BBC funded?

 Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would the preferred and oppositional reading have been of BBC Radio 1 in 1967?