Radio Terminology

Radio Terminology

• News Reader/Presenter - the person who reads the news bulletin 
• Bulletin - script the news reader reads
• Reporter - someone who reports a certain news subject for the bulletin - usually outside of the radio station
• Location - out of the studio reporting from location where the news story is taking place
• Interviewer - someone who asks the interviewee questions 
• Interviewee - someone who gets interviewed (asked questions) on a certain subject
• Script - whats written for the news reporter, the script is usually kept for 6 months for legal obligations
• Cross over to - changes from presenter to reporter 
• Cuts to - prerecorded audio
• Audio - clip of someone else's voice 
• News Bed - music underneath the person speaking 
• News Intro - music that introduces the news 
• Promo - advert - promotion for a company or sponsor usually on commercial radio and sounded before the weather. 

Radio Bulletins 

Style, delivery, pace, news stories, local content, use of adverts and music beds: 

Capital FM News - 

The style for Capital FM's news bulletin is one that is very fast paced. The bulletin began with a promo and a news intro to introduce that the news was now being played. The news stories tend to involve worldwide and local reports, of which would interest a younger audience for example, the first story heard was about a 15 year old boy who murdered two people, although it may not local for most people, it was a topic that was hugely talked about over the UK at the time therefore came under the headlines, it also involved a teenage boy who would be at the same age of the listeners. We also heard the social media story where a girl had posted an event for a party which tens of  thousands of people turned up to and police had to get involved, this would appeal to a younger/teenage-adult audience as it includes social media which is something used by this age of people, this particular news bulletin also included a story that happened in New York, where a man got attacked by a lion, its not a headline story but for the people listening it would keep them entertained and wanting to find out more info (which can be found on the Capital Fm website). Other stories which includes local content was the JLS opening and DJ'ing for a local club in Southampton, this would appeal to local south coast listeners of the age of 18+ and who may like JLS who at the time were a popular and well known band in the UK. After main stories, the sport was addressed which included audio of interviews and more music bedding. The weather covered the South Coast and this was played at the end of the bulletin. We also heard use of adverts and promotions the first sponsorship was played beforehand and this was for Audi and the second sponsor heard was before the local weather for Kleenex tissues, the use of promotions helps the company being sponsored gain customers and in return the radio would be paid. Throughout the whole of the news bulletin a fast paced music bed was played this keeps the bulletin interesting and up beat so listeners don't get bored. The bulletin went on for the duration of about one minute making each report is quick and short and a clips note version of the full stories. 

BBC Solent - 

In contrast to Capital FM's news bulletin, BBC Solent has a completely different look on the news in terms of what they report and how they report. The sector opens up with a a News Intro and the name of the presenter. After this the bulletin immediately jumps into the latest news about politics, Nick Clegg to be specific also in this particular news story we hear a political correspondent on location for about a 30 seconds worth of audio. I could already tell the reader is using a much slower pace whilst reading the script, therefore showing us that the reader does have a lot more time to read out the bulletin and to give more detail on each story, this could also be because the target audience is toward older people, it would be easier for them to understand the reader in terms of hearing. The news stories are a lot more 'serious' then the ones we heard on Capital FM, firstly we can hear only news from across the UK, and local news to the areas it broadcasts for example as previously said about the politics, then several local stories such as school teachers who want a pay rise, local firefighters who had to put out a fire which spread across three homes, the New Forest and its 3rd annual festival,  the Porchester Proms for young carers and finally 'space junk' which was spotted all over the UK. BBC Solent has a lot more time to be able to go in depth with their content unlike Capital who rush through the small script. The whole bulletin contained about 3 interviews and pre recorded audios that relate to stories told. Lastly we heard small sport section which concluded the bulletin all together. There were no music beds or advertisements throughout the broadcast as this would not appeal to the listeners. 

Radio Format - Research Task

Questions -

1.) What format is the station?
2.) How do you know this - give examples
3.) What area does it broadcast to?

Capital FM

1.) Going by the music and targeted audience of Capital FM, I believe that the format of this radio station is is Contemporary Hit Music (CHR) - playlists include new cutting edge music, current hits and popular hits of the last 6 - 12 months. The target audience is young adults and adults aged 15 - 30 and of which the majority are 57 percent are female.

2.) Looking at the Capital FM website there are a number of things that show us that this radio station is of the CHR format. Firstly the radio stations slogan, 'The UK's No.1 hit music station' tells us that the station is known for playing Top 40 chart music, a genre that is aimed mainly toward young adults and 25  yrs and under.


Similarly, this is shown through the websites playlist, and top 40 chart. Every Sunday, 4-7pm, the radio station will play through the latest top 40. 7.3m people from the ages 15-30 will listen to the charts to get to know the latest new music and be a part of exclusive competitions. All competitions are related to Media and Celebrities in some way.

3.  Coverage, Capital's Network led by London's Capital FM broadcasts from key areas around the UK; 

1 -95.8 Capital FM London

2 -105-106 Capital FM Scotland 

3 -105-106 Capital FM North East

4 -105 Capital FM Yorkshire

5 -102 Capital FM Manchester

6 -96-106 Capital FM East Midlands 

7 -102.2 Capital FM Birmingham 

8 -97.4/103.2 apital FM South Wales

9 -103.2 Capital FM South Coast

10 -95-106 Capital North West and Wales 

Radio 2

1. Much of  Radio 2's daytime playlist follows a format of Adult Contemporary Music, simply referred to as 'AC', although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres. Adult contemporary music stations are aimed at people aged 30 years and older. The stations offer lively contemporary music of the past decade or two without cutting edge music, rock or rap music. The station attracts up to 15.5 million listeners a week.

2. The station's audience is now mainly adults over the age of 35 (82% of listeners) although in recent years it has attracted more younger listeners. Its daytime playlist features music from the 1960s to various current chart hits, album and indie music. The station's appeal is broad and deep, with accessible daytime programmes and specialist programmes of particular types or eras of music. In 2009, Radio 2 again won the Music Week Award for National Radio Station of the Year, an award it has won for several consecutive years. Weekday evenings feature specialist music, including jazz, folk music, blues, country and western, reggae, classic rock, showtunes and biographies and documentaries on musical artists and genres. This specialist programming typically runs from 19:00 to 20:00, and from 22:00 to midnight. Radio 2 hosts both the BBC Concert Orchestra and the BBC Big Band.

3.  Radio 2 broadcasts throughout the UK on FM between 88.1 and 90.2 MHz from studios inWestern House, adjacent to Broadcasting House in central London.

Kerrang! 

1. Kerrang! Radio is a specialist rock music radio station. The station's format mixes modern rock, also known as new rock or alternative rock music there is a high concentration on cutting edge and current hits and music on the past 6 to 12 months & classic rock, playlists include popular rock hits of the 70's, 80's, 90's etc. The station also includes speech programmes targeted at young people and an adult rock audience. As a specialist station it caters for people who like that music.

2. The station is connected with the Kerrang! print magazine in name, ownership and style, although the radio station has a more mainstream adult rock output than the magazine, featuring more indie and alternative rock. The night shows are very much fuelled by the traditional Kerrang! Magazine sound, with a wider and less mainstream style, playing a mix of punk and metal bands and forms part of the Bauer Passion Portfolio.

3.  Kerrang! Radio broadcasts across the United Kingdom on DAB and Freeview. Until June 2013 the station was available on FM in the West Midlands, England. On 23 May 2013, Bauer Media announced that the output of DAB station Planet Rock would become available on FM in the West Midlands on the frequency used by Kerrang! Radio in Birmingham from 14 June 2013. All programming will come from London with the Birmingham studios closing and Kerrang! continuing in a different form on digital platforms. Kerrang's DAB output does not cover the Highlands, Northern Ireland or the South West.