Present Radio
The changing nature of radio and how it relates to the launch of Beats 1:
- Most young people listen to the radio less because the present media is saturated with other services and products for them to consume (apps, games, streaming services etc...)
- People expect to consume media products on demand (streaming services, Spotify, Amazon music etc...)
How has it changed since the launch of Radio 1 (launched in the 1960s)
- More radio stations broadcasting.
--> 600 licensed radio stations in the country
--> 1000s of online broadcasters
- Improved radio quality AM --> FM --> DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting)
- Radio stations have become specialised (look at absolute 70s, 80s, etc...)
- Many shows are downloadable or on demand.
- Most young people listen to the radio less because the present media is saturated with other services and products for them to consume (apps, games, streaming services etc...)
- People expect to consume media products on demand (streaming services, Spotify, Amazon music etc...)
How has it changed since the launch of Radio 1 (launched in the 1960s)
- More radio stations broadcasting.
--> 600 licensed radio stations in the country
--> 1000s of online broadcasters
- Improved radio quality AM --> FM --> DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting)
- Radio stations have become specialised (look at absolute 70s, 80s, etc...)
- Many shows are downloadable or on demand.
Beats Radio 1
- Owned by Apple.
Why is Apple involved? (1) Market Apple Music - Apple can control what the audience listens to through their radio channels, they then are able to link it to their iTunes presence where music purchases happen. (2) To boost iTunes purchasing - There are rumours that by purchasing Beats, Apple can then boost decline in iTunes numbers (due to other stream platforms e.g Spotify) (3) To gain more control of the streaming market - Apple Beats 1 is another method of keeping Apple customers 'walled garden Beats 1 DJs (1) Zane Lowe - New Zealander - Have worked on xFM, MTV Europe and BBC Radio 1 (2) Julie Adenuga - Nigerian descent - rinse FM (3) Ebro Dargen - American hip-hop DJ from New York. Apple Music vs. iTunes iTunes - Provides media ownership. People pay for virtual record. Medias purchased are personally owned. Apple Music - A streaming platform like Spotify. People pay the fee to unlock full access to Apple music's entire catalogue. |
Julie Adenuga
- English radio presenter.
- Younger sister of JME and Skepta (grime MCs ,record producers and co-founders of the Boy Better Know record label) - Debuted in 2010, when she joined Rinse FM. - In 2014, she produced and hosted 'Play It', a music television show that aired on Channel AKA and Daily Motion. It is a platform for UK rap and grime artists also poets and singers. |
How much of a threat is Beats 1 to traditional media industries?
"Beats 1 isn't about radio, it's about music" - Roy Martin - managing editor
- Traditional radio tends to provide listeners with local news, travel information, traffic notices and entertainment and people who listens to the radio tend to not listen to music whereas Apple music barely provides the listeners with local news and other things a traditional radio would offer except for endless music. This is probably due to the target listeners. Nowadays, teenagers and young adults in their 20s have a shorten attention span and they might get bored listening to all the talking traditional radio would normally offer. So, traditional radio would not be at risk whereas it would be other music stations that are at risk. Music stations like 1Xtra, Kiss and 6 Music would be at a greater risk because Beats 1 provides the same content as them however it is backed up by a well-known, big company: Apple. Beats 1 is free to listen to and for Apple users it could be easily found in the Music app. This offers more publicity to Beats 1 and it could possible result in a larger amount of listeners.
"Radio stations build up trust with their listeners over a long time, and the relationship feel personal, and often local" - Fraser McAlpine - music writer
- As radio stations broadcast mostly includes a large amount of talking, overtime this could result in a personal relationship between the listeners and the broadcasters. The personal relationship that has been built overtime might feel personal and local to the listeners which might result in loyal listeners. Listeners that are loyal to the radio stations might stay with the radio even with the existence of Beats 1 which is more modern and possibly trendy.
"Beats 1 - will be about new music using famous DJs like Zane Lowe. They'll do a good job at this with a hefty content and marketing budget, but with limited distribution (online only) and a "new music" format it's unlikely to be a devastating challenge to existing UK radio stations." - Matt Deegan - creative director of Folder Media
- Some people might prefer the local existing UK radio stations than Beats 1 because Beats 1 is only available online and it mostly plays new music. Different people have different taste of music and they might prefer older music which the Beats 1 doesn't play often. This is a good thing for the UK radio stations because this means that the niche group of people that aren't in favour of present music will then continue to listen to them, so the presence of Beats 1 would not harm them as much.
Threat to record shops
- Nowadays, people don't really buy physical records anymore. This is because of the existence of streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify. People only have to pay a certain fee monthly or yearly and they are able to choose countless of music to play for free, whereas people would have to buy records of individual singers or bands to be able to listen to them. I think the existence of Beats 1 would harm record shops even though they are already affected hugely by other streaming platforms. Beats 1 provides countless music and it is free to listen to, so people would prefer listening to Beats 1 than spending money on buying individual records.
Threat to online music retailers
- I think Beats 1 would be minor threat to online music retailers like Amazon music and iTunes. This is because in online music retailers the listeners are able to choose what they want to listen to, however they have to pay for an album or a song. Whereas in Beats 1 the listeners have no control over what is playing/streaming however it is free to listen to. It depends on people's preferences. Some people can even use both platforms. If the song playing on Beats 1 doesn't suit their taste, they could always buy songs that suit their tastes in Amazon music or iTunes.
- Traditional radio tends to provide listeners with local news, travel information, traffic notices and entertainment and people who listens to the radio tend to not listen to music whereas Apple music barely provides the listeners with local news and other things a traditional radio would offer except for endless music. This is probably due to the target listeners. Nowadays, teenagers and young adults in their 20s have a shorten attention span and they might get bored listening to all the talking traditional radio would normally offer. So, traditional radio would not be at risk whereas it would be other music stations that are at risk. Music stations like 1Xtra, Kiss and 6 Music would be at a greater risk because Beats 1 provides the same content as them however it is backed up by a well-known, big company: Apple. Beats 1 is free to listen to and for Apple users it could be easily found in the Music app. This offers more publicity to Beats 1 and it could possible result in a larger amount of listeners.
"Radio stations build up trust with their listeners over a long time, and the relationship feel personal, and often local" - Fraser McAlpine - music writer
- As radio stations broadcast mostly includes a large amount of talking, overtime this could result in a personal relationship between the listeners and the broadcasters. The personal relationship that has been built overtime might feel personal and local to the listeners which might result in loyal listeners. Listeners that are loyal to the radio stations might stay with the radio even with the existence of Beats 1 which is more modern and possibly trendy.
"Beats 1 - will be about new music using famous DJs like Zane Lowe. They'll do a good job at this with a hefty content and marketing budget, but with limited distribution (online only) and a "new music" format it's unlikely to be a devastating challenge to existing UK radio stations." - Matt Deegan - creative director of Folder Media
- Some people might prefer the local existing UK radio stations than Beats 1 because Beats 1 is only available online and it mostly plays new music. Different people have different taste of music and they might prefer older music which the Beats 1 doesn't play often. This is a good thing for the UK radio stations because this means that the niche group of people that aren't in favour of present music will then continue to listen to them, so the presence of Beats 1 would not harm them as much.
Threat to record shops
- Nowadays, people don't really buy physical records anymore. This is because of the existence of streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify. People only have to pay a certain fee monthly or yearly and they are able to choose countless of music to play for free, whereas people would have to buy records of individual singers or bands to be able to listen to them. I think the existence of Beats 1 would harm record shops even though they are already affected hugely by other streaming platforms. Beats 1 provides countless music and it is free to listen to, so people would prefer listening to Beats 1 than spending money on buying individual records.
Threat to online music retailers
- I think Beats 1 would be minor threat to online music retailers like Amazon music and iTunes. This is because in online music retailers the listeners are able to choose what they want to listen to, however they have to pay for an album or a song. Whereas in Beats 1 the listeners have no control over what is playing/streaming however it is free to listen to. It depends on people's preferences. Some people can even use both platforms. If the song playing on Beats 1 doesn't suit their taste, they could always buy songs that suit their tastes in Amazon music or iTunes.
How does Beats 1 target its audience?
(1) Beats one uses famous DJs like Zane Lowe, Ebro Darben and Julie Adenuga which will bring in their own fanbase as listeners.
--> The target audience for Beats 1 are teenagers to young adults in their 20s and by listening to famous DJs it might allow them to identify personally with the DJs and it might also provide the listeners for a topifc to discuss socially with others.
(2) The DJs used are well-known in the niche music genre and are recruited based on their reputation.
--> The target audience might be the provided with a topic to socially interact with others.
(3) Content exclusive that are not available on Spotify (e.g Taylor Swift back catalogue)
--> This entertains the target audience because it gives them a situation in which then can identify and relate to, it might give them a flashback memory. This feature is also unique because not every platform has it, this then might attract more audience. This feature might also provide a sense of escapism for the listeners as they are then able to travel back in time and escape the present world with the help of the throwback music.
(4) Beats 1 rely on the quality of their DJs, it is different from other platforms like Spotify and Deezer who rely on automated algorithmic radio.
--> This builds some sort of relationship with the listeners, it entertains them.
--> The target audience for Beats 1 are teenagers to young adults in their 20s and by listening to famous DJs it might allow them to identify personally with the DJs and it might also provide the listeners for a topifc to discuss socially with others.
(2) The DJs used are well-known in the niche music genre and are recruited based on their reputation.
--> The target audience might be the provided with a topic to socially interact with others.
(3) Content exclusive that are not available on Spotify (e.g Taylor Swift back catalogue)
--> This entertains the target audience because it gives them a situation in which then can identify and relate to, it might give them a flashback memory. This feature is also unique because not every platform has it, this then might attract more audience. This feature might also provide a sense of escapism for the listeners as they are then able to travel back in time and escape the present world with the help of the throwback music.
(4) Beats 1 rely on the quality of their DJs, it is different from other platforms like Spotify and Deezer who rely on automated algorithmic radio.
--> This builds some sort of relationship with the listeners, it entertains them.