Independent Radio Programme Production Companies

Independent Radio
The Independent Radio company is a very small company that makes commercials, jingles, adverts, radio shows etc for other broadcast companies.
The Radio Independents Group has been established since 1990. When the BBC awarded its very first commision according to the Radio Independents Group it makes and produces over £12 million of programming. Mostly for the BBC but also some for commercial radio.

If you want to get your company to be pitched by the BBC:

• Get your company registered with the A&M suppliers list
• Check what the BBC want
• Prepare a proposal for your company. This will include the funding, the casting, the actual show etc.
• Then sign up to proteus

In order to get a show commissioned by the BBC you need to register your company to the A&M database in order for your company to get commisioned. Then along with that describe what the BBC want and what your company would provide. Then you make a proposal. This includes everything that you will need off the BBC, the casting and the actual show it self. This will require a lot of detail in order for BBC to really get a grasp of what you want. Once you have done this you will then need to sign up to proteus. This is where you upload your data so the BBC could view what you want to offer to them. Once all of this is done you are just going to hope that the BBC will get in touch with you.

Not For Profit Radio

Community radio
is a radio station that broadcasts only for a local area around a 4 mile radius. Community radio stations require a license and OFCOM awards them with it.

A community radio provides services to entertain the local community and also provide radio jobs opportunities for the local people who wants to get into the radio industry.

The way community radio stations are funded are that they are allowed to advertise certain amounts of advertising and sponsorships. They are also funded by public funding from local or central government, other government agencies, european union, national lottery and charities.

Hospital radio
 is a broadcasting, broadcasted for patients and staff in the hospital. Hospital radio offers opportunities for people all ages to get involved in the broadcasting.

Hospital radio can be listened through bedside units, low powered AM or FM and internet.
"Short-term RSLs are typically broadcast on low-power FM (1 W–25 W) or AM (1 W) and can generally last a maximum of 28 consecutive days and can only be applied for twice in twelve months with four complete months separating the two broadcast periods (and only once in twelve months inside Greater London) by the same applicant/group."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restricted_Service_Licence

Student radio
broadcasts are broadcasted from schools, colleges and universities or any other place of education. Student radio carries a variety of different programmings, for example; local news, sports, general music etc.

Student radio stations often provide airplay and promotional exposure for new artists that wants to be heard by more people.

Public Service Radio

In the United Kingdom the term 'Public Service Broadcasting' refers to broadcasting in benefit for the public rather than for purely commercial concerns. The communications regulator Ofcom, requires that certain radio and television broadcasters to fulfill requirements as part of their license to broadcast.

BBC is the biggest example of a public service radio, they are the biggest single employer in the radio industry employing almost 11,000 people to provide local and national services. They have 11 national UK services and a range of more local stations.

• 40 local radio stations in the english regions
• 6 dedicated radio services in the nation, these are; Radio Scotland, Radio Nan Gaidheal, Radio Ulster, Radio Foyle, Radio wales and Radio Cymru
• The 11 national stations are; Radio 1, Radio 2 Radio 3, Radio 4, Radio 1Xtra, Radio 6, Five Live, Five Live Sports Extra BBC, the World Service and speech based and the BBC Asian Network

The purpose of BBC producing a lot of radio stations is so that they can attract a range of different people which would gain them a bigger audience. This would benefit BBC in terms of getting popular with the public.

There are 5 national networks which are based in London and broadcast throughout the UK. All are available on DAB radio units. Via digital television including freeview and online.

National Networks

• Radio 1 (97-99 FM) - Music, entertainment and news
• Radio 2 (88-91 FM) - Popular music and speech based for over 35's

The BBC charter is a set of obligations and list of things that the BBC said they would do when they were established many years ago. It is most most often said that they must do 3 things, these are Inform, Educate and |Entertain.
The full list of objectives are below:

• • • Sustaining citizenship and civil society;
    • Promoting education and learning;
    • Stimulating creativity and cultural excellence;
    • Representing the UK, its nations, regions and communities;
    • Bringing the UK to the world and the world to the UK;
    • Helping to deliver to the public the benefit of emerging communications technologies and services, and taking a leading role in the switchover to digital television.
  BBC Trust

The BBC trust are an independent panel of people who represent the general public. They ensure that the BBC meet all the objectives set in the royal charter.

Commercial Radio

Commericial radio is the most popular form of radio there is who need to attract a audience to gain profit which also advertises the radio station. It is awarded by Ofcom which is a government body. Most commercial stations broadcast to cities or to local towns which is a way commercial radio stations cater for a wider audience and advertise further. Most of these radio statios play the most popular music at the time but they also play songs that they thing will be very popular amoungst the audience in other words mainstream music. This has been critised due to the fact people are saying that radio stations such as commercial ones are only letting us listen to music they want or what they thinks popular. Alot of the songs they play are played a few times a day which is also a downfall with commerical radio stations.

Many local radio stations are owned by a larger radio station such as Global Radio which is the largest operator of radio. Global Radio owns Calssic FM and 95.8 Capital FM which are Londons most popular radio stations.

National Commercial Radio

National commercial radio is one kind of commercial radio and caters for three national commercial stations broadcasting FM and AM through out the UK as well as online which also gathers a bigger audience. These are

-Classic FM- classical music
-Absolute Radio- rock and pop music
-talkSPORT- live sport and debate


National commercial radio broadcasts to wide range of people so in order to target a more smaller audience commercial regional radios are used. Regional radio has its own stations such as BBC wales and BBC Cymru. Capital has a central hub which has many outlets to different parts of england such as Capital Manchester and Capital London. The difference between these different radio stations is that each presenters different e.g. their accent. Also the news that we recieve of the radio will be different due to the fact traffic will be different and social topics.

Introduction

For this blog in this assignment i am going to be telling you about the structure of the UK radio industry, organisation of the UK radio industry and the ownership of the industry.