BBC Trust: Radio 1 fails to meet targets

20/06/2012 - 14:05 | 12 Replies More

Radio 1′s core audience is still too old, despite changes made to output following a change of wording in the station’s service licence three years ago.

The BBC Trust says the median age of listeners to Radio 1 is 30 – but it is supposed to be aimed at 15 to 29 year olds.

Presenters like Chris Moyles, Scott Mills, Zane Lowe, Trevor Nelson, Vernon Kay, Pete Tong, Sara Cox, Edith Bowman and Tim Westwood are over 30 – but Radio 1 always argued that the shows that they create are targeted at a younger audience and the age of the presenter has no impact on that.

The BBC Trust said: “Our aim that Radio 1 focuses more clearly on a young target audience so that its median age is within the target age group is still outstanding, although work is under way to address this issue. The median age has remained constant since our review completed in 2009 although, due to a change in Rajar methodology, it stands at 30, rather than 29, so just outside the target age group of 15 to 29-year-olds.”

Since Ben Cooper’s appointment as Radio 1 Controller in October, he has brought in younger presenters such as Jameela Jamil to do a Sunday night show and Gemma Cairney from 1Xtra to host weekend mornings. He also moved Greg James to drivetime with Scott Mills taking over Greg’s afternoon show.

The comments from the BBC Trust come in a progress report on the Trust’s service licence reviews.

The report also highlights that, in the cases of Radio 3 and Radio 4, the ‘availability of RAJAR data only on a quarterly basis makes assessing progress of radio stations against desired outcomes fairly slow’. Radio 5 live’s service licence review was only completed in January 2012 so the BBC Trust says it will check on progress later this year.


Tags: , ,

Category: Station News

  • Stu531

    I would suggest this is a symptom not of Radio 1, but of other channels.

    IMHO Radio 2 is still targeted at an age range well above that of Radio 1′s, and the only station in the middle is 6 Music, which actually does very well. However, since DAB still isn’t mainstream, people in the 30-40 year age group feel uncatered for, I feel. Plus, given the dilution of regional radio stations into homogenised output (is Capital really that different from Real these days?) Radio 1 is still the only station which manages to go anywhere near that demographic successfully, with full FM coverage.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=753678222 Chris Tait

      Capital is hugely different to Real. Real Radio although playing more CHR than it would’ve done a couple of years ago is still an AC / Hot AC station whereas Capital isn’t

    • MB

      Capital is nowhere near “full FM coverage”, it only covers around 57% of the UK population.

      Kiss is very successful at targetting the Radio 1 demographic (both listening figures and awards) but is only on FM in London, East Anglia & the Severn Estuary. Unless digital becomes more mainstream (currently only 29%) BBC Radio 1 will continue to be the dominant station across the UK for people under 30. 

  • EoinusKoenig

    If they hurry up and hire Laura Whitmore, they won’t be in the sh!t.

  • Themainman2002-yer

    I’m 24, the majority of the station does not appeal to me. I love listening to Chris Moyles, Pete Tong, Vernon Kay and Sara Cox, thats it. I cannot stand Greg James, Scott Mills is just so far up himself, Fern Cotton is annoying and is still trying to be Jo Whiley, Reggie Yates is still a wanna be, and Hew Stevens is boring. 

    • EoinusKoenig

      I can’tr stand Greg either. I’d rather have Simon Amstell on drivetime to be honest (I love him).

      • EoinusKoenig

        *can’t, lol.

  • http://www.facebook.com/DJt0mmyb Tom Simeone

    Radio 1 is too cheesy, i’m 27, and not keen on the station, neither for global heart/capital, 

    I’m more a radio 2 / 4 / LBC / Talk Sport kind of guy, There was a time when local radio was good, but its sad demise over the years.

  • Bella

    I’m 17 and I can’t stand Chris Moyles… he drives me mad he is an older man acting immature and like a child, if Greg James got the morning drive time slot I would be more inclined to listen. The Greg Scott swap is working really well and Jamella and Gemma’s weekend shows are great. Vernon, Edith and Scott also drive me mad, I can’t listen to them jabber on about pointless things with supposed satire which is not funny.

  • andrew moss

    I listen to Radio 5 as number 1 choice. Then its radio 1….but I am 46. My daughters (14 and 19) would never listen to radio 1, far too uncool. Its Kiss FM for them.

  • AM

    This age demographic drives me made, the DJ is not the driving factor, radio is about music. Just because i’m in my thirties doesn’t mean all of a sudden I have no taste in music and i’m not allowed to like new music. I listen to Radio 1 because I like the music. Radio 2 is full of old duffers playing stuff from the 60′s with the exception of Dermot,

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002980505326 Des Fish

    The BBC trust can not tell me what radio station to listen to. As a 30+ year old, I still get excited by modern chart music (most of it anyway!)
    I am not ready for the MoR music played by radio 2.

    As long as radio 1 stick to their guns and play chart music, then it will appeal to anyone that wants to tune in. It is our choice to listen. Sadly the BBC do not cater for us oldies that feel we are too young for radio 2.
    PS. Nick Grimshaw is a useless host of the breakfast show, BRING ME SOMEONE ENTERTAINING PLEASE

«
»