BBC Radio 1 OFCOM Changes

[TMD_24 33]

We've been discussing this a bit in the Chatbox but this does deserve it's own thread. OFCOM, the new regulators for the BBC have announced a new draft operating license which sets out some rules about the standards on it's programming and it's competition. These changes apply to BBC Radio 1/2 as well so here's a rundown on some of the changes..

• A new peak-time requirement for a longer news programme on weekdays, the 1 hour requirement is staying though and there will be still 2 extended bulletins.
• There will be more focus on emerging and new UK acts and the music output will be more distinct from other broadcasters. The music played during the daytime will be focused from those in the UK.
• R1 will still be required to broadcast a certain amount of Specialist Music each year.
• There will be a bigger broader range of music played on R1/R2. This means the playlist could be set for more changes in terms of it's size.
• More than 40 documentaries will need to be made each year. 

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2017/03/ofcom-publishes-draft-bbc-operating-licence/

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0033/99519/bbc-performance-consultation.pdf (Start at Page 25 for all the juicy information)

[koalasunshine 18]

I like the fact more documentaries need to be made, they are always really interesting and make radio 1 distinctive. However, Ines such as little mix in numbers are a bit boring! 

[bensteele 46]

Hmmm.... seems to be suppressing creativity and flexibility of stations up and down the country, and has arguably led to the complete sanitation of commercial radio. Let's hope the BBC remains distinctive(ly ahead of its competition)

 

btw, OP, you used the wrong "it's" every single time. Doesn't need an apostrophe. That's not a dig, just a point. 

[TMD_24 33]

1 hour ago, bensteele said:

Hmmm.... seems to be suppressing creativity and flexibility of stations up and down the country, and has arguably led to the complete sanitation of commercial radio. Let's hope the BBC remains distinctive(ly ahead of its competition)

 

btw, OP, you used the wrong "it's" every single time. Doesn't need an apostrophe. That's not a dig, just a point. 

Its fine! 

[Joe 6]

Ah, now it does need an apostrophe. Use an apostrophe whenever you mean 'it is', and don't when you don't.

Unless, of course, you're joking.

[TMD_24 33]

Lol I'm confused! 

[thebeuter 20]

We've been discussing this a bit in the Chatbox but this does deserve it's own thread. OFCOM, the new regulators for the BBC have announced a new draft operating license which sets out some rules about the standards on it's programming and it's competition. These changes apply to BBC Radio 1/2 as well so here's a rundown on some of the changes..

• A new peak-time requirement for a longer news programme on weekdays, the 1 hour requirement is staying though and there will be still 2 extended bulletins.
• There will be more focus on emerging and new UK acts and the music output will be more distinct from other broadcasters. The music played during the daytime will be focused from those in the UK.
• R1 will still be required to broadcast a certain amount of Specialist Music each year.
• There will be a bigger broader range of music played on R1/R2. This means the playlist could be set for more changes in terms of it's size.
• More than 40 documentaries will need to be made each year. 

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2017/03/ofcom-publishes-draft-bbc-operating-licence/
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0033/99519/bbc-performance-consultation.pdf (Start at Page 25 for all the juicy information)

So, apart from the music, nothing will have to change?

Sent from my D6503 using the Unofficialmills.co.uk mobile app

[TMD_24 33]

I'm not sure really.. See these points:

Quote

4.35 We are also required to consider, in relation to our duty when setting the first operating licence: increasing the current requirements on the BBC to secure the provision of more distinctive output and services; and, to have regard to the desirability of setting or changing requirements to increase the amount of news, information, current affairs and social action issues on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2, particularly at peak listening time. 

4.36 We are proposing to include several conditions from the service licences previously set by the BBC Trust that serve to maintain current provision of news and current affairs output on each of the BBC’s services, strengthening them where the BBC has outperformed on average over the past five years. Additionally, we propose to modify some of the BBC’s existing requirements. This includes introducing a peak-time requirement for news on BBC Radio 1 and a peak-time requirement for news and current affairs on BBC Radio 2. We have also introduced a new condition to ensure the BBC provides adequate links on its online service to third party material. This replaces the BBC Trust condition which required the BBC to increase the number of click-throughs to third party websites.

4.39 We are proposing to retain the BBC Trust service licence requirement that Radio 1 broadcast at least one hour of news - including two extended bulletins - during daytime each weekday. We believe this quota secures a sufficient level of news output on this service. Our research shows that younger audiences are more likely to consume news through online platforms rather than through listening to the radio, so any increase in quota level here would not necessarily increase consumption by the targeted audience. However, in recognition of the impact of broadcasting news content to younger audiences at peak time, we propose to formalise as a condition the BBC’s current provision of an extended news bulletin broadcast at this time. We plan to monitor the BBC’s performance in this area and will revisit this condition if we do not believe it is delivering the best outcomes for younger listeners.

So it looks like the 2 extended Newsbeat bulletins will stay but perhaps points 4.35 and 4.36 suggest the 12:45pm-1pm bulletin could be moved?

[matthewm192 36]

It looks like they're gonna have to put a 15 minute bulletin in the breakfast show to me... (not that I'll mind as it's 15 mins less Grimmy in the morning)

I've always loved how seriously they take the 1 hour day time news rule it's exactly right to the minute:

6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:30 all 3 mins so 18 mins. 10:30 and 11:30 are 2 mins each bringing it to 22. 1:30 is 1 min (23), 2:30 and 3:30 2 mins (26), 4:30 3 mins (29), and 5:00 1 min (30) - add the 15 min bulletins and there is your hour!

[Ryan Pannell 23]

Crikey, you've really analysed that well. When you say it's "exactly right to the minute", I agree with every daytime presenter except Grimmy. A countless number of times, he is late for the news at about 7:32, 8:03 and so on! He has a tendancy to start a track at 7:29! WHY?! 

[thebeuter 20]

It looks like they're gonna have to put a 15 minute bulletin in the breakfast show to me... (not that I'll mind as it's 15 mins less Grimmy in the morning)
I've always loved how seriously they take the 1 hour day time news rule it's exactly right to the minute:
6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:30 all 3 mins so 18 mins. 10:30 and 11:30 are 2 mins each bringing it to 22. 1:30 is 1 min (23), 2:30 and 3:30 2 mins (26), 4:30 3 mins (29), and 5:00 1 min (30) - add the 15 min bulletins and there is your hour!

+ 3 mins at 10 pm
But great discovery there

Sent from my D6503 using the Unofficialmills.co.uk mobile app

[murste 63]

So nothing will change basically. The report says two extended bulletins with one in peak (i.e. the 5:45) so no need to make any drastic changes to the current schedule. Just a few corrections to the above timings- there's a 10pm which is 2 minutes and the 3:30 is 3 mins.

[TMD_24 33]

So OFCOM have published their final version of the new operating licence for the BBC which also relates to BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/107072/bbc-operating-licence.pdf

Key points:

• One hour of news and two extended bulletins, one in peak time and regular updates during the weekend. (No change in other words)
• 40 new documentaries per year. (Presumably all of these during the new 3-4am slot)
• 45% of the music in daytime should be British acts, also 45% of the music in the daytime should be new music and the majority from British acts.
• 60 hours of specialist music is required. (I think this is the reason why some of night time scheduling has changed)
• 175 new sessions, live or pre-recorded within 3 months.
• The station plays a bigger range of music which takes into the account of the size of the playlist and amount of plays in daytime/nighttime. (Wonder if we could see some big changes to the way the playlist is done in the future?)
• It does 2 social action campaigns per year. (I quite like this one!)

Will post my opinion about this in more detail soon.

[Ant L 51]

I feel Radio 1 has the balance about right just now. You have to hook in the audience with well-known tracks (British, American or otherwise) and then throw in a new and unknown track otherwise the audience will just go to Capital.

There are times when they play tracks to death however (Shape of You, Human etc) and that's something I hope these alterations may change.

I was surprised to see that Greatest Hits is continuing at the weekend. It's a really enjoyable listen but it must impact the new music quota the station has?

[Ant L 51]

duplicate...

[Lee E 49]

On ‎01‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 4:48 PM, matthewm192 said:

It looks like they're gonna have to put a 15 minute bulletin in the breakfast show to me... (not that I'll mind as it's 15 mins less Grimmy in the morning)

I've always loved how seriously they take the 1 hour day time news rule it's exactly right to the minute:

6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:30 all 3 mins so 18 mins. 10:30 and 11:30 are 2 mins each bringing it to 22. 1:30 is 1 min (23), 2:30 and 3:30 2 mins (26), 4:30 3 mins (29), and 5:00 1 min (30) - add the 15 min bulletins and there is your hour!

Thought there was a 9am one as well 

[Lee E 49]

On ‎25‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 1:08 PM, Ryan Pannell said:

Crikey, you've really analysed that well. When you say it's "exactly right to the minute", I agree with every daytime presenter except Grimmy. A countless number of times, he is late for the news at about 7:32, 8:03 and so on! He has a tendancy to start a track at 7:29! WHY?! 

Have noticed that as well 

In Grimmys show Tina does the news in 82A and is part of the team - she is becoming more so recently same as the CM days 

Clara is slap dash sometimes as well but our man Scott and also Greg are bang on usually 

[OohErr 231]

I quite liked the days when presenters could be late for the news - it added to the feeling of spontaneity, and that there was something happening that was so good that it would be wrong to cut it short for the news. I think that's one thing Radio 1's lacking a bit at the moment - its become so focussed on creating "Content" that every link is determined in advance. Greg's still quite good at it but sadly Scott plays so much music and has so many features that there's not really much time for the same sort of spontaneous banter you used to get between Scott and Chappers.

[murste 63]

I think it's a shame the documentaries are on in the absolute graveyard slot. Wish they were a bit more bold and made 30 minute ones to air between 6 and 7 during Cel and Katie's new show. I'd make 4-6 for them fun- games, celebs etc, then gear change after 6- bring in Dr Radha, air a 20 minute or 30 minute documentary between 6 and 6:30 and then have a Surgery-style discussion based around that topic until 7. Radio 1 does those documentaries and discussions really well and they can have a positive and huge impact on a young audience.

The 45% British acts rule is stupid- if its' good enough, it'll get played. The great thing about R1 daytime is the mix of music- hit songs, new stuff, British and American and other, R1 should decide the playlist and no one else.

I absolutely love Greg's show the moment. Going through another golden era (similar to when Pippa and Travis were on)- you can tell Chris Sawyer and Greg are much better friends than Ian and Greg were. There's some brilliant stuff with the whole team (Greg, Chris Smith, Chris Sawyer and Greg) who are all brilliant on air after 6pm. It would make a fantastic breakfast show.

[TMD_24 33]

Ofcom have anmounced an amendment to the operating licence regarding new music. This comes into effect from the 1st April.

The defention of new music has been updated. Now any music released within 12 months or entering the top 20 charts within 6 weeks is classed as new music now. 

The second major change now includes the minimum requirement for new music being played going up from 45% to 50%.

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2018/03/ofcom-updates-definition-of-new-music-for-bbc/

[TMD_24 33]

I noticed that since these OFCOM changes were announced, Radio 1 now have less new music. 

After the changes, Radio 1 have now 2 Greatest Hits show on Saturday/Sunday, A 30 minute Greatest Hits mix on a Friday, Clara having a 15 minute mix on a Friday and MistaJam having a 1 hour Classic Anthems mix on his Dance Anthems show.

There's also now Greatest Hits elements everyday on Adele's, Grimmy's, Scott's and Greg's show. Adele plays a Greatest Hits song at around 6:05am, (She also for a while has played a Greatest Hits song at 4:05am but she hasn't for the last few days) Grimmy plays a Greatest Hits song at 6:35am and 8:05am, Scott plays a mix of Best New Pop and Greatest Hits between 3:30pm-4pm and a Greatest Hits mix on a Friday, and Greg plays a Greatest Hits song at 5:05pm.

There's only going to be more of this when the Friday changes happens. We might lose the Nixtape, the 15 minute mix on Clara's show and the 30 minute Greatest Hits mix on Scott's show but in exchange we will have another 2hrs 45 mins of Greatest Hits (I say that because of Newsbeat) and an hour chart-related content between 6pm-7pm which will almost certainly be Greatest Hits type songs. When you think about, we are going to go from 1hr 30 minutes of old music content to 3hrs 45 minutss on a Friday soon.

OFCOM have said that Radio 1 should be playing around 50% new music in the daytime. With these upcoming changes, Radio 1 will surely be close to the 50% cut-off soon. I get the sense that Radio 1 is trying to play as less new music as possible while keeping within the targets.

[OohErr 231]

That's a good point. They do seem to be taking the piss a little bit, and Global and the Radiocentre can't be happy. I'm sure they'll be manufacturing a fuss about Radio 1's listeners being too old again before long.

It's also interesting because until last year the Bauer City 1 stations had a similar kind of music policy - top 40 with songs from the last 20 or so years mixed in. And their listening figures have been going through the floor for years.

[Acelink 1]

Curveball suggestion/theory: 

The gradual takeover of “Radio 1’s greatest hits” and the amount of new talent and duo presenters been nurtured are preparation for new “greatest hits” internet/iPlayer radio station which fills the most demographic of those stuck between radio 1 & 2. A greatest hits channel.

radio1 listeners who are above the demographic and are enjoying the greatest hits show more than the new music would have a gentle perfect bridge to the new station and it would allow radio1 to concentrate on core audience.

it would help bridge the massive leap between radio1 and 2 listeners and keep the older demographic side of radio1 engaged with bbc radio opposes to been lost in limbo . 

I cant see this happening anytime soon , especially with recent changes we’ve seen already and aware this is a completely out there suggestion. Radio stations don’t just appear overnight but hey, it’s a curveball afterall and stranger things have happened ... who saw the extended weekend coming