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BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - "Phone First"
tghe-retford
Posts: 26,449 Forum Member
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And so it begins:
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/sep/19/bbc-radio-1-aims-to-be-netflix-of-music-radio-with-phone-first-strategy
The first step towards Radio 1 and 1Xtra following its sister, BBC Three, to becoming a Internet only service in the long term. The controller of both stations wants to push towards being a "phone first" service, prioritising on demand content and becoming the "Netflix" of radio.
The stumbling block for this plan is going to be data costs on the move. This is where podcasting is easier than streaming - you can at least download shows on home broadband prior to leaving the home instead of streaming on the move and potentially setting yourself up for bill shock.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/sep/19/bbc-radio-1-aims-to-be-netflix-of-music-radio-with-phone-first-strategy
The first step towards Radio 1 and 1Xtra following its sister, BBC Three, to becoming a Internet only service in the long term. The controller of both stations wants to push towards being a "phone first" service, prioritising on demand content and becoming the "Netflix" of radio.
The stumbling block for this plan is going to be data costs on the move. This is where podcasting is easier than streaming - you can at least download shows on home broadband prior to leaving the home instead of streaming on the move and potentially setting yourself up for bill shock.
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Comments
Not if Mum and Dad paying the bill, innit? ;-)
It may be that demand for live radio is on a downward trajectory, in which case Cooper is right to look for other ways to deliver content. But do the figures support that hypothesis, or are people just using online content in addition to listening live?
Even comparing the decline in audiences for Radio 1 in the same breath as referring to numbers going down in newspapers feeds into a feeling that the station is heading for an inevitable decline.
The Netflix comparison was always shoogly for the likes of BBC Three. For Netflix you're speciifcally paying extra and choosing to watch premium programming. For Spotify you're specifically using it so you can pick precisely what you want to hear.
The trick to Radio 1 and BBC Three is that, in theory, you should be able to stumble across them, they offer accessible programming and draw you in to the more challenging stuff. If you have to go out your way to find them, you'll just bung the radio/Spotify/BBC1 on instead.
It sounds like Radio 1 is being wary of what happened to newspapers who didn't adapt quickly enough to the onset of the web. The key is in how they handle this. Hopefully this is just shorthand and the actual plans will make more sense.
I think the article linked to is just Ben Cooper thinking out loud and floating ideas rather than what will actually happen.
It really needs a breath of fresh air. A youth orientated station ought to be continually evolving.
You're simply on the wrong station !
Switch to Radio 4 for comedy, current affairs and documentaries, to Radio 4 Extra for comedy and documentaries, to Radio 5 Live for current affairs, documentaries and sport, and to Radio 5 Live SPORTS Extra for Guess What.... ;-)
Not to mention the current affairs and documentary output Radio 1 itself put out!
Would listeners be keen to download the final hour of the chart show?
Interesting quote. I interpret that as him saying that the kids are moving away from traditional radio, onto content delivered via mobile/online. If that's the case he's basically admitting his product hasn't adapted quickly enough.
If they turned Radio 1's FM network off tomorrow, I'd bet the vast majority of complaints would come from people outside the station's target demographic. In other words- the yoof have already 'done one. Innit.