Special lesson: how does the BBC fulfil it's remit as a PBS broadcaster?

1 - Analyzing LNWH - Power and profit

Curran and Seaton argue that all media products are motivated by profit and power. So far from what we have heard of LNWH, this doesn't seem right. The programme targets a very niche audience, and so far we have listened to episodes which discuss putting on makeup on the bus, vaginas and the merits of pockets. It is clear that LNWH will never appeal to a mass audience, but perhaps that's the point. The BBC is a PBS, and has no need to 'make money' in the same ways as other industries, but it does need to be accessible!

Task 1: Analyze the Late Night Woman's Hour homepage, listen to a clip, and answer the questions below.

• In what ways does this page appeal to it's audience?
• In what ways could this page attract new audiences?
• Pick and listen to a clip from LNWH. They're organized in to around ten minute clips, rather than full archived episodes. Why?

2 - How do the BBC meet the needs of a diverse audience

The BBC is different from many other media organizations, as it is a public broadcasting service or PBS. The BBC is funded directly by the British public in the form of a license fee. In return, the BBC has many obligations that it's competitors do not have. For example, the BBC must

• Produce and broadcast a certain amount of high quality news on each of it's channels every day
• Cannot rely on spot adverts/commercial breaks for revenue streams
• Has a remit to 'inform, educate and entertain' (check out this documentary for more details on the history of the BBC and its remit!)
• Create and broadcast original programming which appeals to a diverse range of British audiences

The homepage for BBC radio services, here rebranded as 'BBC Sounds' meets the needs of it's
audiences through it's well designed and logically laid out structure. Each station has
a completely different brand identity, and broadly targets a different audience demographic.
Additionally there are many opportunities for audiences to pick and mix their identity,
for example from choosing between the mainstream BBC Radio One
and the more niche and middle-class BBC Radio Four

Task 2: pick one show from the many, many different offerings on BBC Sounds, listen to it, and answer the following questions.

 Don't pick one instantly, take your time, and genuinely ick something that really interests you. You may be surprised at what stuff you can find! You may chose from a live show, a podcast, an excerpt or anything else. It's all valid, and is an excellent example of the variety available to the BBC's fragmented and diverse audiences. Just don't pick Woman's Hour...

Analyze your show under the following prompts. Yes, ALL OF THEM. This will take some time!

Audience prompts

• How are audience grouped and categorised for this show? Think age, gender, class, lifestyle, cultural capital…
• How does this show attract/target it’s audiences? 
• How can audiences interpret this show in different ways?
• How does this show use technology to target a specialised/niche/cult audience?
• In what ways can audiences use this show, and how does this reflect their identity and cultural capital?
• Reception, fandom and the end of audience: theoretical approaches

Industry prompts

• How is this show produced, distributed and circulated, and by who?
• In what ways does radio use specialised forms of production, distribution and circulation?
• How have recent technological changes in radio changed production, distribution and circulation?
• What economic factors may have affected this show? How financially successful do you think it was? Was it made commercially or not for profit?
• How have new digital technologies affected how this show is regulated?
• Power and regulation: theoretical approaches

 Extension - The end of audience

If you found yourself completing the above quickly, then find a podcast (any podcast!) by googling something you are interested followed by the word 'podcast'. Have a listen. That's it! We'll be thinking about podcasts next week!