BBC Radio 1: The Official Chart.

Lee Morris · 05/07/15 - 18:12

So starting on Friday do you think Radio 1 will gain listeners to The Official Chart?, now I am recording it today for all time posterity although I do not normally listen now. I know of others from reading DS who have said that music is not as good as it used to be and so do not listen now but today there are some quite good dance tracks.

The thing with Sunday is that in a way you have to go out of your way to listen but as far as Firiday is concerned it will be while people are driving home meaning driving music which could mean an increase in listeners, I know I will be doing my best to put Radio 1 on in the bus on the way home from my day centre.

We have a service user on he bus on a Monday and Friday who tends to need the radio on as he gets anxious, at the moment they put Capital FM on for him but The Official Chart would be ideal starting this week.

I just wonder how long it will be until Commercial sufer from a drop in listeners to drive time shows on a Friday and decide to put The Big Top 40 on a Friday.

td1983 · 05/07/15 - 18:28

I'm listening today too, but at 32, perhaps a little bit too old for them nowadays. The show has always been on a Sunday night ever since Radio 1 launched in 1967, and for 12 years before that on The Light Programme, too. I started listening during the Bruno Brookes era, loved Mark Goodier, but it's never been the same since he left. I only listen occasionally now, have to say, all this R & B crap that seems to dominate the charts these days is nauseating. Their hand has been forced by the decision to announce the charts on a Friday worldwide, along with new releases that same day, too, but it just won't be the same. Truly the end of an era.

989 · 05/07/15 - 18:36

I think there will be a big drop in listeners.

The reality is many people still at work till 5 pm and can't listen to radio in their workplace, from work they go shopping on a Friday, to the pub or busy preparing tea for the family and listening to the radio not a priority.

I don't think it'll affect other stations as much as people think.

It's a mistake moving the chart from Sunday teatime. It's been a tradition since the early 60s when records came out on a Monday and charts were released on a Tuesday lunchtime.

Radio 1 has a considerably smaller audience than 20 years ago in general and even on a Sunday Radio One only having around 1.3 million listeners for the chart compared to around 2.1 million for Tony Blackburn and Pick Of The Pops on Saturday lunchtime.

All it'll do is boost the audience for the commercial radio chart show instead for those that still want to hear the chart in its traditional timeslot.

Ollie_h19 · 05/07/15 - 22:12

Was there any mention on todays show that it was the end of an era? Radio 1 dont seem to celebrate their heritage very much any more...

AcerBen · 05/07/15 - 23:09

989 wrote: »

I think there will be a big drop in listeners.

The reality is many people still at work till 5 pm and can't listen to radio in their workplace, from work they go shopping on a Friday, to the pub or busy preparing tea for the family and listening to the radio not a priority.

I don't think it'll affect other stations as much as people think.

It's a mistake moving the chart from Sunday teatime. It's been a tradition since the early 60s when records came out on a Monday and charts were released on a Tuesday lunchtime.

Radio 1 has a considerably smaller audience than 20 years ago in general and even on a Sunday Radio One only having around 1.3 million listeners for the chart compared to around 2.1 million for Tony Blackburn and Pick Of The Pops on Saturday lunchtime.

All it'll do is boost the audience for the commercial radio chart show instead for those that still want to hear the chart in its traditional timeslot.

It should easily get more listeners - weekday drivetime slot probably already does better than Sunday afternoon. We know Greg gets 5 million listeners across the week. We don't know how many on any given day - but I suppose a lot of those listeners listen every day. Hopefully we'll get a separate figure for the chart show in the next Rajars.

AcerBen · 05/07/15 - 23:09

Ollie_h19 wrote: »

Was there any mention on todays show that it was the end of an era? Radio 1 dont seem to celebrate their heritage very much any more...

Yes, in fact all day they've been playing top 20s of each year since 2005.

Ollie_h19 · 05/07/15 - 23:27

AcerBen wrote: »

Yes, in fact all day they've been playing top 20s of each year since 2005.

Since 2005?! A whole 10 years! Wow.

merrim01 · 06/07/15 - 10:41

Let's remember the target audience, as much as I'd love them to back further it doesn't really fit the image or audience of the station.

idrewuk · 06/07/15 - 13:15

989 wrote: »

It's a mistake moving the chart from Sunday teatime. It's been a tradition since the early 60s when records came out on a Monday and charts were released on a Tuesday lunchtime.

No it isn't a mistake.

The new global release day for music is now Friday. So if you can't get your head around things changing, that's more your issue.

989 · 06/07/15 - 13:29

idrewuk wrote: »

No it isn't a mistake.

The new global release day for music is now Friday. So if you can't get your head around things changing, that's more your issue.

I don't have a. Issue with it or need insulting.

As I stated, the charts used to be released on a Tuesday lunchtime which Radio One covered, but even then the main countdown was on a Sunday 5 days later. I still don't see reason it had to be changed as a main show as it always has been.

That wouldn't stop Radio 1 or any other station covering the release of the new chart on a Friday in the same way they did when it came out on a Sunday?

It worked then and could easily still work now.

Chart shows have lost their music focus with far too much chat.

SonOfPurple · 06/07/15 - 13:58

My concern is, in trying to get the entire chart into 1h45min (don't forget Newsbeat, which R1 seemed to do when they rescheduled the chart) is that it's an admission that chart positions don't really matter - they'll only at best be able to play the top 20 or so in a slot that's practically half the length of what it is now. My preference, were I to have one, would be to structure it a bit like the ITV Chart Show - everything in the chart gets a mention, with some songs played in full and others less so as time allows. They could, if they wanted to continue to wedge it into the drivetime slot, run it as:
1600-1635: Friday drivetime, including tracks from positions 40-31
1635-1710: Friday drivetime, including tracks from positions 30-21
1710-1745: Friday drivetime, including tracks from positions 20-11
1745-1800: Newsbeat
1800-1900: including a recap of 40-11 (in the old 'breathless rundown' style, one presumes) and then the top 10 in full - this section could potentially be split out on its own as a one-hour listen on the iPlayer/website for those who don't want to download the full three hours.

Incidentally, this Sunday from 4pm R1 is airing a 'chart of the year' with Scott Mills as Cel can't move just yet - the CBBC Chart Show is staying on Sundays for a few weeks because there's still a few weeks left to run in the current series of Friday Download, which occupies part of the slot needed for the switch; Once FD's run comes to a close one presumes the CBBC show will move to Fridays and Cel's new R1 Sunday show will begin...

Rodney · 06/07/15 - 16:03

idrewuk wrote: »

No it isn't a mistake.

The new global release day for music is now Friday. So if you can't get your head around things changing, that's more your issue.

Why would the release day make any difference. It's supposed to be a sales chart not a new releases chart. In fact you could broadcast it on any day of the week. It would only be a new releases show that would logically need to be on Friday evenings.

Hey there!

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BBC Radio 1: The Official Chart.

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