Virtual studio tours for Radio 1 & 1Xtra

BBC Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra are to open their virtual doors for a month, giving listeners the chance to see inside the new studios.


Access All Areas started Monday, with a number of DJs, staff, celebrities and artists in conversation with audiences via the power of social media, interacting throughout the day in vision via a live stream at bbc.co.uk/radio1.

For the first time, listeners will also be granted a virtual triple AAA pass that will allow them to navigate themselves around the stations and their brand new studios during the month via a 360 degree panoramic map.

The map, which is set to launch on 7th February is part of the networks Take A Look initiative and reinforces Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra’s ambition to open up the stations to audiences, giving them the opportunity to get a glimpse inside the new BBC Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra HQ .

A number of Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra DJs will also be sporting headcams during the day, allowing listeners to see what goes on behind the scenes. There will also be a special Radio 1Xtra Live Lounge with Tyler James also set to don a headcam during his performance so listeners can experience the Live Lounge through the eyes of an artist.

The stations will also showcase their digital innovation during the month by visualising more content as well as a number of big moments across the networks including: the first 360 degree Live Lounge with American indie rock band Fun, a massive Friday night filmed twelve hour dance marathon, as well as a fully visualised Newsbeat bulletin.

The month will also hold a new permanent visualised format for Sunday evenings on BBC Radio 1 – with the Official Chart with Jameela Jamil to include a new look show taking the programme way beyond the radio studio, enabling the station to broadcast innovative visual content each Sunday from 6-9pm online.

BBC Radio 1 has also launched a new ‘Take It On’ scheme that will see a number of budding radio and media stars participate in eight week placements across both stations throughout 2013. The first set of four interns will be involved in Access All Areas, appearing on air and online throughout the month to help lift the lid on what goes on at Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra.

There will also be big Access All Areas moments on Radio1Xtra during the month with the station set to hand over the musical reigns to audiences between Friday 8th – Sunday 10th February, allowing them to take control of the playlist for the final 30 minutes of each weekend show. Listeners will also take control of the guest interviews between 11th – 14th February – providing the probing questions every listener wants to ask into the ear of the interviewing DJ.