Radio 1 BBC launch

 Historical, social and cultural contexts

1) What radio stations were offered by the BBC before 1967?
Radio home, radio light, BBC Third

2) How was BBC radio reorganised in September 1967? What were the new stations that launched?
Radio home was replaced by Radio 4, broadcasting education and news, mainly speech based. BBC Radio Light was replaced by radio 1 and 2 , broadcasting entertainment such as comedy,drama and music BBC Third was replaced by Radio 3 broadcasting intellectual arts-based talk and classical music.

3) What was pirate radio and why was it popular?
Radio channels that were not legally registered and were popular because they would play pop music all day which interested teens.

4) Why did pirate radio stop broadcasting in 1967?

The 1967 Marine broadcasting Act was put in place, officially shutting down these stations. 

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

The popular radio presenters that were on those pirate radios were recruited to work for  BBC Radio 1.

6) What was 'needle time' and why was it a problem for BBC Radio?
Musicians' Union and Phonographic Performance Limited (a music licensing company) restricted the amount of recorded music that could be transmitted by the BBC during the course of any 24-hour period. 

7) How did BBC Radio 1 offer different content to previous BBC radio stations?
they offered different musical content at all of them which was very different to their previous stations

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

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

they played pop music all day appealed to teenagers

10) 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

1) What was the target audience for BBC Radio 1 in 1967?
15 - 29 year olds

2) Why did Radio 1 initially struggle to attract young listeners?
young listeners were uninterested

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

Diversion/Entertainment, Information/Surveillence, Personal relationship and Personal identity 

4) How is the BBC funded?
by license fee

5) Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would the preferred and oppositional readings have been for BBC Radio 1 in 1967? 

preferred reading for BBC Radio 1 in 1967 is "cool" and the oppositional reading is "uncool" and too patriotic