Creative Brief

Having completed your research, for Monday write a creative brief. This is the pitch - your idea for your radio station and why you think it works.

Include:

- a summary of the programme idea and its intended target audience. Include scheduling, presenter style, content, overall mode of address. Include a theme or focus for the programme. Refer to the technical elements that will make up your programme.

- justification of idea referring to your market/station/programme research. Refer to house style of the station, as relevant.

- justification of idea referring to your audience research. This should be a summary of your audience research, explaining why your programme will appeal.

- ideas for cross-platform content and promotion. Impact of 'we media' (see entry), interactivity and digital platforms are very important here.

Radio and Public Service Broadcasting

The BBC is the non-commercial public service broadcaster in the U.K. This means that it is funded by the licence fee (which we pay to the government). The BBC is not managed directly by the government, but by a trust. The BBC Charter states that its aim is to 'inform, educate and entertain' - thereby promising to provide a range of output on its channels. (Notice how these objectives link to Audience Uses and Gratifications theory - again!)

Diversity is a key word for the BBC. Since we fund it, and it is a non-profit making organisation, it needs to create programming to reflect the variety of social groups in the U.K. - including minorities. It also needs to cater for the disabilities that some of its viewers might have.

Digital technology has allowed the BBC to create niche channels, to target particular audiences (e.g. BBC3 - with comedy and more youth-orientated programmes, BBC4 - with arts and culture programming, CBeebies for children). This is allowing it to narrowcast rather than broadcast. Radio stations also reflect this opportunity - with 1Xtra (black, urban, gospel music) BBC Asian Network, BBC6Music and BBC7. These, like the TV, can be accessed through the i-player. The websites make podcasts available of popular shows - for audiences who want to timeshift their listening.

The BBC also runs a network of local radio stations - important in providing local news, entertainment and interaction with local communities. This is part of BBC's role of identifying and targeting all regions of the U.K. Manchester is due to become more of a centre for BBC at mediacity in Salford Quays: radio production (partic. 5live) and some of its TV programming is due to move into the new centre: see useful websites section

Radio Stations and their Audiences

Just as you are profiling your audience, radio stations will do market research to ensure their output is reaching their target audiences successfully.

This is important for commercial radio station - ones funded by advertising and private investment. The radio station will produce a profile for their advertisers of their audiences, so they can attract more advertising money. You can sometimes ask for these packs direct from the station as part of your research.

Radio stations are sold as brands, often owned by cross-media conglomerates. (Kerrang Radio is owned by something called EMAP, which also owns magazines, as well as digital phone technology).

GMG (Guardian Media Group) is another example of a media conglomerate that owns radio brands. Read their audience profiles for their different radio brands on this website: http://www.thisisglobal.com/radio-sales/gmg-brands/

Here's a general profile on Key 103's website: http://www.key103.co.uk/article.asp?id=103275

Radio and Semiotics

Don't forget sound has a set of codes, just as the visual language we have studied has. Radio is called a blind medium (i.e. it has no visuals). As such, it stimulates the imagination through the soundscapes it creates. This is using the combination of sound signs - music, voices, sound effects.

You can write about the connotations of the sound signs that are used in the radio programmes you are blogging about. Here, as a reminder, are some of the areas you are writing about, with some terminology:

- Music. Music can be broken down into: signature tunes, incidental music, live performance, jingle/trail music (see sound effects below).

- Voices. Presenters' voices (through the paralanguage - inflection, tone, speed, timbre) are a vital part of creating the mode of address of a radio programme. Radio/Podcasting is unique in being able to create a more intimate relationship with its audience - speaking to you as one person, or including you into a group of people within the studio. (Uses and Gratifications theory is relevant here).

- Sound effects. Sound effects can be used generally during the programme, or as part of a jingle. Jingles can be: stings (2 second burst of music between items); idents - a jingle, with music, that identifies the station; sweepers are longer versions of an ident (station name, programme title, presenters name). Trails - advertisements for another programme.

Analysing the Radio Programmes

Using what we did today, focus in on

1. 'mode of address'. When you're listening to different radio programmes, think:
- formal/informal (colloquial, slang, accent - eg received pronounciation
- inclusive i.e. making you feel part of the show by, for example, the language used
- direct - the way they use words like 'you' to engage you directly

2. 'house style'. What is the overall style for different radio stations?

Remember - you can schedule your show on: existing channels, Internet radio or as a downloadable podcast.

Creative Brief

Just a quick reminder of the creative brief and your initial pieces or research.

To create a 3 minute piece of radio for a specified, youth audience. This can be a magazine programme on a chosen topic.

Pre-production:
- start by researching other radio stations, for similar programmes for similar audiences. You are examining the content, the mode of address (presenters, the representation (of the radio station (branding), of the presenters (gender, ethnic origin)). Do this by: listening to excerpts/programmes, looking at the websites.

- start to profile the audience, once you have decided on a specific target (age, gender - if relevant). Create a questionnaire to ask them about their media consumption, especially radio, their other interests. (Include times, modes of listening - especially new media.