Are BBC Radio target audiences outdated?

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Are BBC Radio target audiences outdated?

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HiyaLuv! View member profile	28th March 2018, 09:48 PM Post #1
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 9 April 2017 Posts: 837 User: 29,031	As a 35-year-old lifelong music fan, I've been outside of the Radio 1 target audience for five years yet still can't find a radio station whose music policy appeals to me anywhere near as much as Radio 1's. I remember my mother hating what she branded 'bang bang bang music' i.e. house music when in about 1988 when she was in her early thirties, yet you're still infinitely more likely to hear an 18-year-old Eminem or Dr Dre song or even a 26-year-old Prodigy hit on Radio 1 than Radio 2. Have you switched to 6 Music or is it way too "middle-aged indie" for you? Are there many people here over 29 that feel the same as me? Do you feel Radio 2 should be a bit more daring when it comes to vintage hits? When's Bound 4 Da Reload hitting Radio 2? Is the idea of Radio 2 attempting to appeal to everyone aged between 35 and about 90 completely ludicrous, considering the various generation gaps? As a banger-loving licence payer with a huge interest in new music, especially dance anthems that should be charting but stall on the B and C-lists, do you feel insulted and infuriated when Ben Cooper celebrates "scaring off the over-30s"? Have you found a radio home elsewhere since you slipped out of the R1 target audience or do you, like me, defiantly tune in anyway? Can you even bear commercial radio? Let us know your thoughts! This post has been edited by 34yopoppicker: 28th March 2018, 11:33 PM


Tombo View member profile	28th March 2018, 11:31 PM Post #2
BuzzJack Platinum Member Joined: 3 September 2009 Posts: 7,814 User: 9,543	The whole Radio 1 trying to lose the older listener thing annoys me a lot and I wish they would play older artists there more. Heart plays a lot of 90s songs, and even rap songs from the 90s now, I've not heard The Prodigy on there though


HiyaLuv! View member profile	28th March 2018, 11:57 PM Post #3
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 9 April 2017 Posts: 837 User: 29,031	Where's the commercial radio station that playlists Janelle Monae, George FitzGerald and Muse alongside Rae Morris, The Vaccines, Virtual Self, Wolf Alice, Years & Years, Fickle Friends and CHVRCHES as well as various Top 40 stars? Of course I'm going to pick Radio 1! The idea that I'm told to go away when it still appeals to me so much and there is no alternative just seems like madness to me. I'm 35, not 65! Also, how can they tell the thirtysomethings to do one when so many of their presenters are outside the "target audience"? This post has been edited by 34yopoppicker: 29th March 2018, 12:01 AM


Brer View member profile	29th March 2018, 12:07 AM Post #4
is my brain across your walls? Joined: 14 February 2009 Posts: 115,078 User: 8,300	There are only a couple of rap songs that are ever played by Heart, bizarrely enough Coolio's 'Gangsta's Paradise' is one of the very few they ever play and it always sticks out like a sore thumb among the rest of their playlist (I guess it's because of the Stevie Wonder sample, but seriously, they still cut out completely innocuous rap verses from pop songs and yet they have no problem with that song). Other than that it's only like Will Smith (i.e. the most family friendly and 'non-threatening' 90s rapper) and sometimes some dance songs with raps in them (like 'It's Like That' and 'Rhythm Is A Dancer').


HiyaLuv! View member profile	29th March 2018, 12:10 AM Post #5
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 9 April 2017 Posts: 837 User: 29,031	QUOTE(Bré @ Mar 29 2018, 12:07 AM) There are only a couple of rap songs that are ever played by Heart, bizarrely enough Coolio's 'Gangsta's Paradise' is one of the very few they ever play and it always sticks out like a sore thumb among the rest of their playlist (I guess it's because of the Stevie Wonder sample, but seriously, they still cut out completely innocuous rap verses from pop songs and yet they have no problem with that song). Other than that it's only like Will Smith (i.e. the most family friendly and 'non-threatening' 90s rapper) and sometimes some dance songs with raps in them (like 'It's Like That' and 'Rhythm Is A Dancer'). Yes, whenever I hear an old hip-hop song on Radio 2 it always seems to be a 'novelty' one, as if rap fandom is an embarrassing phase people go through, grow out of quickly and look back at in laughter. How long can they get away with ignoring decades-old gangster rap chart smashes? It's not just hip-hop - I was never a fan of nu-metal, but where's Rollin'? That is a pretty ancient chart-topper now! This post has been edited by 34yopoppicker: 29th March 2018, 12:15 AM


Tombo View member profile	29th March 2018, 12:26 AM Post #6
BuzzJack Platinum Member Joined: 3 September 2009 Posts: 7,814 User: 9,543	QUOTE(Bré @ Mar 29 2018, 01:07 AM) There are only a couple of rap songs that are ever played by Heart, bizarrely enough Coolio's 'Gangsta's Paradise' is one of the very few they ever play and it always sticks out like a sore thumb among the rest of their playlist (I guess it's because of the Stevie Wonder sample, but seriously, they still cut out completely innocuous rap verses from pop songs and yet they have no problem with that song). Other than that it's only like Will Smith (i.e. the most family friendly and 'non-threatening' 90s rapper) and sometimes some dance songs with raps in them (like 'It's Like That' and 'Rhythm Is A Dancer'). Recently they have increased the rap though as they used to cut Pitbull out of Give Me Everything and now they include him and they play No Diggity a lot whereas before there was very little rap at all


danG View member profile	29th March 2018, 07:08 AM Post #7
🔥🚀🔥 Joined: 30 August 2010 Posts: 74,572 User: 11,746	Well Radio 1 have to try and meet their requirements which is why they're desperate to lower their average listener age. They should really have a wider target audience but that isn't for R1 to decide.


AcerBen View member profile	29th March 2018, 07:27 AM Post #8
BuzzJack Gold Member Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 3,628 User: 3,429	Yes it's the BBC Trust that needs to chill out a bit when it comes to Radio 1's target audience. I understand that it should be measured on how well it does with younger audiences, but it shouldn't matter if over 30s listen as well. Calculating how well it is doing at targeting young people by using the average listener age is a stupid way of doing it. Plus at 35 OP, you're not exactly old. 35 is not what it was 20 years ago. They should just up their target audience to 35, at least. But the way the BBC Trust sees it is that BBC Radio doesn't need (or positively shouldn't) to cater for the 30s because otherwise they're not being fair to the commercial sector, which supposedly serves us well (though as someone above says, what other station plays the real variety of new music that Radio 1 does) Having said that, at 31, I'm finding myself drawn more and more to Radio 2! I would just like them to reduce to the amount of 60s and 70s music in daytime. And I was never much into Radio 1 anyway. Always found it a little too cool for skool.


Sour Candy View member profile	29th March 2018, 08:19 AM Post #9
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 22 December 2009 Posts: 30,355 User: 10,275	Age is just a number! Interesting that you are "obliged" to be out of the radio 1's target audience just because you are 35. I am also 35 and really enjoy the current pop and urban music. It's more of a state of mind really. I do feel nostalgic to certain things (such as britpop and millennium) but don't necessarily need a radio station by public broadcasting company to cater that. In fact, here in Finland we have a commercial radio station for that and it easily becomes tiresome to hear all the Ace of Bases and Blurs again. Also, the BBC might think that people in the 30s have lots of other things to do such as family, building home, work etc etc


TheSnake View member profile	29th March 2018, 09:51 AM Post #10
Say that hiss with your chest, and... Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 18,467 User: 23,308	QUOTE Having said that, at 31, I'm finding myself drawn more and more to Radio 2! I would just like them to reduce to the amount of 60s and 70s music in daytime. I am definitely more drawn to radio 2, I haven't liked Radio 1 in a while as the charts have gone downhill imo over the last few years, and also they seem to have stopped playing as many rock and dance songs on their playlist now I think. I do think radio 2 should still play a decent amount of retro hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s as it does allow a lot of people to rediscover the songs they may not remember, or were released before their birth. This post has been edited by Queef's Throne: 29th March 2018, 09:58 AM


andibob View member profile	29th March 2018, 01:05 PM Post #11
BuzzJack Regular Joined: 18 October 2014 Posts: 209 User: 21,298	I prefer local radio really as BBC stations don’t quite cater for me. I find a lot of the Radio 1 DJs quite irritating to be honest. I can only listen if it’s Greg James, Scott Mills or Alice Levine which is guess is my age. The same with Radio 2... it depends on the host if I tune in. Music wise both play stuff that I like alongside songs that make me turn over - either too bangy and generally devoid of melody (R1) or too fuddy duddy (R2). This post has been edited by andibob: 29th March 2018, 01:07 PM


Long Dong Silver View member profile	29th March 2018, 01:34 PM Post #12
Buffy/Charmed Joined: 18 April 2013 Posts: 44,083 User: 18,639	I find both awful. BBC1 is yah 'too kool for skool', combined with pretty bad chart music at. Radio 2 just plays odd music, very bland, bery MOR, very boring. Their presenters can send you to sleep too. Capital is SLIGHTLY better, except for it playing big songs over and over. I've actually stopped listening. 2013 basically put me off for LIFE


TheSnake View member profile	29th March 2018, 01:40 PM Post #13
Say that hiss with your chest, and... Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 18,467 User: 23,308	QUOTE(Queef of Peace @ Mar 29 2018, 02:34 PM) Radio 2 just plays odd music, very bland, bery MOR, very boring. Their presenters can send you to sleep too. I would agree that most of the new stuff Radio 2 plays is quite bland, but I just listen mostly for the older stuff tbh, as it is preferable to listening to R1 daytime these days.


danG View member profile	29th March 2018, 02:02 PM Post #14
🔥🚀🔥 Joined: 30 August 2010 Posts: 74,572 User: 11,746	Radio 2 do play some awful music half the time, even a lot of the 'classic oldies' aren't that great. That's why my fave R2 presenter is Jeremy Vine, he plays like 2-3 songs in half an hour.


lewistgreen View member profile	29th March 2018, 09:47 PM Post #15
BuzzJack Legend Pronouns: he/him Joined: 25 July 2013 Posts: 26,030 User: 19,585	It really doesn't matter how old you are. If you like the music and want to listen to Radio 1 then f***ing listen to Radio 1


awardinary View member profile	29th March 2018, 09:53 PM Post #16
Here to play, here to stay Pronouns: he/him Joined: 8 February 2015 Posts: 20,271 User: 21,587	QUOTE(lewistgreen @ Mar 29 2018, 10:47 PM) It really doesn't matter how old you are. If you like the music and want to listen to Radio 1 then f***ing listen to Radio 1 THIS.


SparkyTKO View member profile	31st March 2018, 02:43 PM Post #17
New Entry Joined: 16 April 2017 Posts: 1 User: 29,536	Still follow the charts and the things that are generally play listed on Radio 1, but 6 Music caters to my tastes, as well as expanding my horizons. Other than the weekday afternoons I wouldn't say it's brimming with "middle aged indie", decent mix of electronica , hip hop, soul, new, recent and somewhat older.


Doctor Blind View member profile	31st March 2018, 03:00 PM Post #18
#38BBE0 otherwise known as 'sky blue' Joined: 27 October 2008 Posts: 16,170 User: 7,561	Yeah 6Music plays quite a diverse mix of music, sometime there are songs on the playlist that I could do without but you do hear some complete tunes during the daytime. They played Bizarre Inc. “Playing With Knives” the other day!


Robbie View member profile	1st April 2018, 06:44 PM Post #19
BuzzJack Gold Member Joined: 4 April 2006 Posts: 3,445 User: 366	QUOTE(Doctor Blind @ Mar 31 2018, 03:00 PM) Yeah 6Music plays quite a diverse mix of music, sometime there are songs on the playlist that I could do without but you do hear some complete tunes during the daytime. They played Bizarre Inc. “Playing With Knives” the other day! It's still an excellent record but it's a sobering thought to think it's now 27 years ago since the track was first released...