Critically comment and evaluate - How effective the station is at serving the target audience of 15 - 29 year olds through the station's music scheduling.
The station aims its music at the target audience very well. They consistently play current chart songs but intersperse it with older or relatively unknown songs, a technique known as hammocking. This method means that they play an active role in bringing new artists into the spot light. It makes the the station look good and proactive/friendly with new talent. The approach also draws in more adventurous listeners who want to expand their music library.
Within their target audience, there are many people who like many different genres. However the station plays it safe with chart songs, during the day and early evening, because if they played a genre like Heavy Metal, some listeners would be happy but most wouldn't. They have mastered the balance of songs to appeal to as many people as possible.
The biggest show on Radio 1 is the Breakfast Show. It runs from 6.30am - 10.00am and is hosted by 29 year old Nick Grimshaw. Although Grimshaw is at the end of the target audience demographic, he has an understanding of youth culture and the listeners can relate to him.
The general format for all the shows on BBC Radio 1 is to intersperse chart music with presenters asking/answering questions over social media sites, like Twitter and Facebook, or interviewing celebrities. Teenagers and young adults are the right age to link to celebrity culture. The station takes full advantage of this with long, quite personal, interviews with celebrities and organised music festivals so that listeners can play a more active role and go see their celebrities perform in the flesh. To help broadcast celebrities in a positive light and to make them even more appealing to the target audience, Radio 1 have a thing called 'Live Lounge' which is where artists sing acoustic or alternative versions of their own or other artist's songs. This appeals to teens because it's cool, current and it validates the fact that an artist can sing and doesn't just use auto-tune or technology to sound good.
From 10pm to 6.30am the station hosts late night programmes of slightly less popular genres. These include dance, rock an dubstep shows.
To conclude, BBC Radio 1 targets their intended audience age range effectively. Their scheduling is always current with well known presenters delivering tunes that suit 15 - 29 year olds. The station is made even more appealing with the fact that they play fresh new talent. It offers an element of hope or an aspiration for young artists within the demographic to get their music broadcast by the station. Overall, each time slot on each day has been well thought through with reference to up to date statistical information so that the presenter and music played goes appropriately with the audience listening at that time.
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