Apple Beats 1 Radio CSP: blog tasks

Background, industries and the impact of the internet

1) How have our music listening habits changed since 1960?

We went from radio station with limited options also the use of cassette tapes where used in the past but now the internet streams music.

2) When did Apple Beats 1 Radio launch and what is it?

It aired On June 30 2015 and was a free live streaming global radio station

3) What is the difference between Beats 1 Radio, iTunes and Apple Music?

Beats 1 is a global radio station whilst iTunes is a media player and library and apple music is a music streaming service

4) Why was Apple so keen to enter the online music world and compete with Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music (and others)?

It was to market apple music and make money as it was a global radio station. It also to boost itunes purchasing.

5) Why did Apple choose the three selected DJs for launch? 

Djs would bring their audiences and fan base as they well known in the niche music genre.

6) How does the use of DJs differ from Spotify, Amazon Music and other streaming services? 

Having Djs is like having a personal connection with the radio which cant be done with streaming services

7) How does the content of the Julia Adenuga show differ from Radio 1? 

She is from London And has her own fan base bring more attention to the radio station as she is an expert on grime

8) Why does Beats 1 radio give Apple the power to make or break new artists? Is this a good thing or a bad thing for the music industry?

9) Read the BBC feature on the launch of Apple Beats 1 Radio. Did the industry experts think it would be a success? Why?
Experts though it would be a success as it is a global radio station and has a lot of star power

10) Give arguments for and against the idea that Beats 1 will be a threat to traditional media industries (e.g. radio stations, record shops, online music retailers etc.)
For It is global radio station so it is in many places
More accessible that using cds or records
Has more star power that many radio stations

Against streaming services are more viable and have more options on music 
has competition with radio 1

Audience

1) Who is the target audience for Beats1 and Julia Adenuga in particular? Refer to demographics and psychographics.
Middle age people who are of working class and are into rap and indie music

2) Why do people listen to Beats1? Which aspects of Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory relate to Beats 1 and its audience?

3) Can the audience actively interact with the Apple Beats 1 Radio or are they passive when listening? How? Give examples. 

4) Is Apple Beats 1 aimed at a mass or niche audience? How does this differ to BBC Radio 1?

5) Do you think Apple Beats 1 radio will be popular with young audiences or are streaming services the future of audio-based media?

Radio 1 Launch CSP: blog tasks

1) What radio stations were offered by the BBC before 1967?
BBC Radio Home  broadcasting education programmes and news. Mainly speech-based.
BBC Radio Light  broadcasting mainly light entertainment (comedy / drama) and music.
BBC Third  broadcasting intellectual arts-based talk and music.

2) How was BBC radio reorganised in September 1967? What were the new stations that launched?
The Light Programme was split into Radio 1 that plays "Popular" music and Radio 2 for more 'Easy Listening'. The "Third" programme became Radio 3 offering classical music and cultural programming. The Home Service became Radio 4 offering news, and non-musical content such as quiz shows, readings, dramas and plays. 

3) What was pirate radio and why was it popular?
Pirate radios were normal radio stations without official licenses.  They were popular for producing shows that young people wanted to listen to.

4) Why did pirate radio stop broadcasting in 1967?
The Marine Broadcasting Offences Act officially outlawed pirate radio stations.

5) How did the BBC attract young audiences to Radio 1 after pirate radio stations were closed down?
Young people needed a station that played pop music. Many of the pirate station broadcasters then were then employed by BBC Radio 1, thus bringing many of the their loyal listeners with them.

6) What was 'needle time' and why was it a problem for BBC Radio?
There were concerns that too much music on the radio would mean that people would no longer buy records, so the  Musicians' Union and Phonographic Performance Limited restricted the amount of recorded music that could be transmitted by the BBC during the course of any 24-hour period. 

7) How did BBC Radio 1 offer different content to previous BBC radio stations?
Radio 1 also developed better content more suitable to the target audience of young people as it became more popular.
8) Who was the first presenter for BBC Radio 1 and why did these new Radio 1 DJs cause upset initially at the traditional BBC?
The first producer for BBC Radio 1 was Tony Blackburn. This caused upset to fans initially because he was a pirate radio DJ.  

9) Listen to excerpts from the Tony Blackburn's first 1967 broadcast - how might it have appealed to young listeners?
He might of appealed to young listeners as he was a pirate DJ which a wide audience.
10) What conventions did Tony Blackburn's radio show borrow from pirate radio - which made it very different to previous BBC radio content?

His personality was more easy going, friendly and enjoyable.

Audience and industry

1) What was the target audience for BBC Radio 1 in 1967?
Young teens and adults.

2) Why did Radio 1 initially struggle to attract young listeners?
It was not seen as ‘cool’ by many young people as the BBC stood for traditional, conservative values.
3) What audience pleasures did Radio 1 offer listeners in 1967? (Use Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory).
Radio 1 offers surveillance to listeners of Radio 1 as it keeps them updated on current day music and news.
4) How is the BBC funded?
The BBC is funded through the compulsory licence fee (£154.50 now; it was around £4 a year in the 1960s). As everybody pays, then everybody should receive content suitable for their needs. 

5) Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would the preferred and oppositional reading have been of BBC Radio 1 in 1967? 

The preferred reading for BBC 1 in 1967 was that it was popular and enjoyable for young people. Whereas the oppositional reading was that it was a radio station that tried to copied other pirate stations ideas and didn't stream the whole day.

Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor: Blog tasks

Impact of new/digital media on music industry

You'll need to read back to our music video introduction and notes blogpost to answer some of these questions.

1) How do audiences generally watch music videos these days?
These days music videos are generally watched o YouTube.
2) What opportunities has the growth of digital technology and YouTube created for new music artists?
New Music artists are able to make it big thanks to YouTube and the digital era.
3) What is P2P and why did it cause huge problems for the music industry?
P2P stands for peer-to-peer, which means sharing files between people. This causes problems for the music industry as they are not paying for those files.

4) Do you think the internet has given audiences more power over who becomes successful in the music industry? Why? 
I think the internet has given audiences more power over who becomes successful or not as they are able to comment and like on videos making them go viral or not. The audience is also able to share the video to others if they like it which creates more views.

5) How has Fortnite demonstrated the potential future for music videos and promotional opportunities for the music industry? You can read more on this event in this Verge feature.
Fortnite has demonstrated the potential future for music videos with their music and celebrities which create opportunities such as concerts and music released for the game. 

Arctic Monkeys: Industry

1) How did the Arctic Monkeys first achieve success and build up their fanbase?
They played pubs and small venues in and around Sheffield, and built up a  following online using Myspace.

2) Why was P2P file sharing an unexpected aspect to Arctic Monkeys' early success?
It allowed their music to be heard by their audience as they were sharing their files between them which gathered a larger audience.

3) How does the rise of Arctic Monkeys differ from how One Direction were formed and became famous?
Arctic Monkeys were not sponsored by a company unlike One Direction. Arctic Monkeys were friends from school who decided to start a band whereas One Direction didn't know each other before going onto X Factor. They rose to fame by winning third place.

4) How has technological convergence changed the music industry?
Technological convergence has made it easier to listen and watch music videos. This has made more money for the music industry.

5) Has the internet been a positive or negative development for traditional record companies? Why?
The internet has been both a positive and negative development for traditional record companies. It's negative due to problems with piracy, so they're unable to earn as much money. Whereas it's still positive as the companies are able to allow easier access to the public.


Arctic Monkeys: Audience

1) What is the main Arctic Monkeys audience - demographics and psychographics?
Arctic Monkeys' audience are likely to be white, middle class and reasonably young.

2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor?
Audience pleasures would include diversion - the song is upbeat and fast-paced. Fans who followed the band from the early days might find a sense of personal relationship.

3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to Arctic Monkeys fans. Why did you choose those moments?

The video looks as if it's a one take video which subverts music video conventions that became steadily more complicated and narrative-based in the 1980s and 1990s.

In the beginning when the singer says "Don't believe the hype", it could be referring to the how the fans shouldn't believe everything they see on Myspace.

When the camera zooms in and out on all members individually and as a whole it shows they are 4 individuals who make up one group.

4) What is nostalgia and why is it a key audience pleasure for the Arctic Monkeys music video?
Nostalgia is a wistful yearning for return. It is a key audience pleasure for the video as older fans would enjoy a sense of nostalgia from the 1980s-style performance video.

5) How are fans positioned to respond to the video? What does the artist want fans to take from their video?
Fans are positioned to respond yearning for return as the video is 1980s-style. The artist wants fans to take away what type of band they are and what kind of music they make.