The eighth floor

[Jono]

Commercial radio executives are to call for an overhaul of BBC Radio 1, arguing that the station has breached its remit and is eating into their audience.

The commercial radio sector's trade body, the RadioCentre, claims the average age of Radio 1 listeners is 33, above the 15- to 29-year-old target age range specified in the station's radio service licence.

In its submission to the BBC Trust's review of the corporation's youth services, the RadioCentre is expected to say that Radio 1's DJ lineup and music policy should be changed to better reflect the interests of a younger audience.

"The Radio 1 service licence says it should appeal to 15- to 29-year-olds - an average audience age of 22 - but the average listener, according to the latest Rajars, is 33," said Andrew Harrison, the chief executive of the RadioCentre.

"The service licence is designed to appeal to young people, yet the service delivery is much older than that and right in the heartland of the commercial radio audience," Harrison added.

"If a commercial station was operating so far outside its format it would be a breach of its licence. It would be fined by Ofcom and obliged to change its format."

The RadioCentre is still finalising its submission to the BBC Trust's review of the corporation's services for children and young people. Announced at the beginning of this year, the consultation period will end on December 16.

"BBC Radio 2 is drifting younger and Radio 1 is drifting older, both into the heartland of commercial radio," said Harrison.

He added that there should be a change in the age and profile of Radio 1's presenters and the appeal of its music towards a younger generation.

"Radio 1's service should serve young people and stick to its service licence," Harrison said.

John Myers, the outgoing chief executive of GMG Radio, part of Guardian Media Group which also publishes MediaGuardian.co.uk, said: "The biggest fear for me going forward is the creep of Radio 1 going older. It is supposed to be a station for the youth and going forward it is just unsustainable in its present form.

"One of the reasons is [breakfast DJ] Chris Moyles, who appeals to a wide church of demographics just because his humour is so broad.

"At the moment I'm asking myself who is broadcasting to the young people who are the future of radio in the UK.

"If it doesn't realign itself then the BBC politically will find it very difficult to put the case forward that it is a public service broadcaster."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/oct/24/commercialradio-bbc?commentpage=1&commentposted=1

[Guest inxces4308]

This is crazy. This is a way that Commercial radio thinks they can get rid of Chris Moyles, there main competitor - when they cant.

It wont get anywhere.....

[kitty]

I think that the natural audience will get older- people who have grown up with it have a loyalty to the station and continue to listen.

I would say that parts of the station are definitely aiming at a younger audience- at 23 I find some of the programming doesn't really appeal to me.

However, I do feel that most of the evening programming is directed at a more mature audience.

I also agree with the comments about Radio 2 getting "younger"- certainly programmes like Russell Brand don't seem to fit in with the traditional ethos of the station.

[Jono]

Got to agree with one of the comments...

Radio 1 isn't a lonely computer churning out the same 30 over tired songs, only allowing a 'presenter' to speak for 15 seconds three times an hour (usually to tell me how wacky the breakfast show was and how it will be even wackier tomorrow) each time being immediately followed by higher volume shouting adverts and trailers usually recorded by people who sound like they are suffering extreme nasal problems. That's commercial radio, and why it makes me suicidal trying to listen to it.

Ouch...

[Hammer]

So basically commercial radio are just moaning because the BBC are appealing to their audience more than they are? Maybe they should concentrate on producing better radio themselves.

[Jono]

The merger of GCAP with Global Radio has only made things worse. Radio Broadland, along with other local radio stations, will now become 'Heart Radio Norwich'. So there's likely to be less local radio content. The only reason I tuned in was for the local content, now there's none of that.

[Rob]

Haven't radio 1 had this problem since the beginning of time?

Most people I know listen to a local station- Ram FM because it keeps them up to date with football which I couldn't care less about. I can't stand radio ads which is why I'm a radio 1er. How do they knew the average age? They didn't ask me how old I was.

[MissCorsham]

They cant make the content less mature without it becoming cheesy. Their presenters are mainly over the target age bracket. Its alway going to be hard appealing to an age range, people like different things, and even if they did change to try and target the younger audience there will still be older people wanting to listen and enjoying it. Younger people listen to Ipods now days :-P

[Rik]

Haven't radio 1 had this problem since the beginning of time?

Most people I know listen to a local station- Ram FM because it keeps them up to date with football which I couldn't care less about. I can't stand radio ads which is why I'm a radio 1er. How do they knew the average age? They didn't ask me how old I was.

You put your age on the RAJAR listening diary...

I remember Moyles talking once about if your under a certain age then you aren't considered in the RAJARS. Wont this pull up the average listening age anyway.

I really don't think R1 should change their format, talking to us in a very patronising way like we are all primary schoolers will certainly make me tune out. I am at the bottom of the demographic and I really think the format is excellent, and so do a lot of people in my year as it seems.

[DC]

i thought with kidd$ie presenters like cotton and recently dick & dom, then they would of been going the other way.

[Aled]

This kind of stuff winds me up. There are many more people in this country who are 30+ so even though we have a very high percentage of 15 - 20 year olds (and many more either side) as long as there are are 30+ (or more dramatically 40/50+) then it's going to pull our average out of the age group.

Surely with 1.5 million 12-18 year olds listening to our show what the grumpy people who produced that report SHOULD be saying is stop the older people listening rather than make Radio 1 more relevant to the younger audience? Radio 1 once tried that years ago and it was awful. They became too cool for school and I, for one, stopped listening as a young teenager. I'd never want that again. That would bring the average down again.

haven't the people who made that report heard Switch or the Surgery? Seen Switch Live or the summer tour? They'd realise we do a lot for our younger audience!

[Viv]

I think that the natural audience will get older- people who have grown up with it have a loyalty to the station and continue to listen.

.

Good point. I've listened since 1983 (approx.) until the present day. There's a large amount of stuff for the very young, and there's good stuff for us oldies. How do you keep a station "really young"? People tune in for a variety of reasons: I do so for the new music, and all the fun and laughter which is lacking elsewhere. Hmmm.

[simon38]

i'm 38 still love radio 1, was the only station worth listening to growing up and is now

[Chops]

Well what do they suggest to appeal to the teens? 14 and 15 year olds doing Scotts show? It would go down the pan. This commercial radio thingy is just global radio trying to get more listeners as they are struggling to keep Xfm and their bosses huge bonuses

[unclesirbobbyrobson]

Well radio one has in the past got too old. They found it impossible to sack djs. Think of how they could not get rid of people like DLT. He was well past his sell by date. You could argue that the age of the djs is quite old. Quite a few are oer 40 and even 50. BUt westwood is still appealing to ayoung audience.

I think society has changed. Those over retirement age grew up in the sixties... smoked dope and still have liberal ideas. So radio two is starting to get younger.

I am over 40 myself. I tune into radio one religiously in recent years. But its largely because of the playlist. I think that there is a lot of good pop and rock music about. I used to hate radio one when I was young. It was just image led rubbish. The djs make little difference. I like the music. So if radio one wants to lose me then they will have to change the play list.

Comercial radio will do anything to get an advantage. They have crap presenters and boring shows.

[matt_32510]

I think that radio 1 is stuck in between at the moment, switch on Sunday's is aimed at the young people, but when you listen to Moyles he is aiming more at the older audience

[alexj]

The djs make little difference. I like the music. So if radio one wants to lose me then they will have to change the play list.

Comercial radio will do anything to get an advantage. They have crap presenters and boring shows.

You're contradicting yourself a little bit.

So you don't like presenters on Radio One because they make no difference, but on Commercial Radio, where the presenters talk less, it's more important?

[kitty]

In terms of the DJs, I think it's hard for Radio 1 as they have such a large amount of listeners they need DJs who are experienced and professional, so this often means that they have to be older than the target audience.

That said, Greg is quite a newbie to the presenting game and I think he has one of the best shows on Radio 1.

[unclesirbobbyrobson]

I am well over the age remit. Yet to be honest my favorite dj is gregg james and he is just twnety one.

This kind of stuff winds me up. There are many more people in this country who are 30+ so even though we have a very high percentage of 15 - 20 year olds (and many more either side) as long as there are are 30+ (or more dramatically 40/50+) then it's going to pull our average out of the age group.

Surely with 1.5 million 12-18 year olds listening to our show what the grumpy people who produced that report SHOULD be saying is stop the older people listening rather than make Radio 1 more relevant to the younger audience? Radio 1 once tried that years ago and it was awful. They became too cool for school and I, for one, stopped listening as a young teenager. I'd never want that again. That would bring the average down again.

haven't the people who made that report heard Switch or the Surgery? Seen Switch Live or the summer tour? They'd realise we do a lot for our younger audience!

Hey its aled

I kind of agree. How do you make a show less appealing to a certain age range if the older people are liking exactly the same things as the young

I definitely think music has changed. Its more democratic in this era. The age of the mp3 download has killed the power of the record company. Now bands can make it without contracts. That has surely got to be important. Before radio one was targeting a younger audience based on image. Now its all about the music. Indie bands rule. Its less about image and more about talent. It can appeal to any age range

[Viv]

This is a question for the older ones on here.. Simon 38, etc... do you sometimes get put downs from friends because you are still an R1 listener? Recently, at the library, a guy there told me R1 was "just for kids", and what was I doing listening in. I replied I was a "big kid", but he was still less than impressed. Has something similar happened to you?

[Robbie Keane]

You put your age on the RAJAR listening diary...

Do you?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm fairly certain that the majority of this forum is not in possession of a RAJAR listening diary. Just one of the many flaws in the system.

[Rob]

I saw a mug in a card shop yesterday, you know those novelty milestone presents. There was a 30 year old one that listed things that show you're 30, one of them was "You know you're 30 when the music on Radio 1 sounds rubbish"

[E*F*4L]

I saw a mug in a card shop yesterday, you know those novelty milestone presents. There was a 30 year old one that listed things that show you're 30, one of them was "You know you're 30 when the music on Radio 1 sounds rubbish"

I think the music R1 plays is good, some of the stuff i don't like but i like more than i don't. Maybe R1 should get Brand

[Jono]

Maybe R1 should get Brand

Highly unlikely seeing that he's ruled out working with the BBC ever again.

[Rob]

Highly unlikely seeing that he's ruled out working with the BBC ever again.

It's channel 4s chance to snap him up