Eurovision 2024

[onlyME]

They would sound great on DAB. Any chance of it happening? 

[BBCAaron]

4 hours ago, onlyME said:

They would sound great on DAB. Any chance of it happening? 

I don’t think so as that would mean changing the BBC charter to include permission to expand their DAB and DAB+ offering and would defeat the object of BBC’s digital future strategies, current budget and funding and competition limitations and constraints.

Radio 1 Dance and Relax already come under scrutiny when they launched in question of whether their are trying to monopolise on their competition. Whilst I imagine Relax and Dance streams attract listeners from the over 30’s and non Generation Z listeners. But considering the remit of Radio 1 is to focus on a youth audience especially trying to attract new under 25 listeners it wouldn’t feel like a fitting strategy and sensible use of the BBCs budget.

With BBC set to shut its Radio 4 Extra station possibly making a selection of archived comedies and dramas available for listeners exclusively through sounds after it shutting down. I can’t see them launching a new service if it isn’t to replace a current service. 

I do wonder if they would in a cost cutting effort merge the World Service, BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live’s news programming to one service and end-up losing a one or two other speech stations to have a BBC Radio News that can carry mix of simulcast broadcasts with BBC News (TV) and putting flagship and leading programming like Westminster Hour, Today, Business Daily with having a tighter and smaller news and speech content package. 

I kind of see streams like BBC Radio 1 Relax and BBC Radio 1 Dance more these days like the streams on BBC iPlayer that are compared to FAST style channels. As they launched a Louise Theroux and History channel playlist of rotating content available on the service on a live feed yet to feature on the in-app EPG. But, it’s much like the festival streams where you have some live content but simulcasted.

The BBC is unlikely to launch any new services on the medium of FM or DAB radio or standard terrestrial channels featured on satellite broadcasting and see the BBC even moving BBC Three back online by 2028 (big mistake to bring back on tv). But with that smart speaker to people listening on the go to radio or any audio via apps on their phone it’s not the obvious place to put it.

With such streams though the BBC should arguably consider ditching the ‘1’ since content from other stations has featured from time on the streams. Arguably I think that there are many other shows that could fit the ‘Relax’ umbrella like Cillian Murphy’s series on 6 Music, Unclassified from Radio 3 and Angela Griffin’s Radio 2 show. Sherelle on 6M could fit Dance station but show could Jeremiah Asiamah and Tiffany Calver’’s programmes on 1X

[Jono]

I agree, I think the BBC sees Sounds as the future, and eventually services like Freeview will come through the internet as there's a scramble to free up signals for 5G and 6G. So I can't see them investing in DAB or DAB+ even if they didn't have all the bureaucracy mentioned above. 

[BBCAaron]

I do wonder whether at in the next BBC charter review and review to it’s radio strategy could see a station like 1 Xtra leaving DAB and focus being on allowing Sounds to carry exclusive content and transfer existing radio brands to BBC Sounds internet radio stations.