Applying Theories: Radio

Woman’s Hour (Audience): Shirky’s End of Audience Theory

• How do modern audiences use media?

• How does Woman’s Hour satisfy modern audiences?

• What does the term ‘speak back‘ mean and how does Woman’s Hour encourage this?

• Shirky theorises that mordern audiences do not use media in a one dimensional and passive way because they like to interact with the media they consume by commenting, liking, etc.

• For example, Woman’s Hour can be listened to on demand as a result of the explosion of digital technology. This means the radio show and podcast episodes are downloadable and are therefore accessible at all times, satisying audiences who perhaps have a busier lifestyle.

• Shirky believes audiences like to ‘speak back’ to producers, meaning to give feedback. Woman's Hour encourages this by providing contact information on their website that audiences can interact with at their own leisure.

Woman’s Hour (Audience): Hall’s Reception Theory

• How does Reception Theory link to audience positioning?

• How does Woman’s Hour position their audience?

• The audience is positioned to take a preferred reading as this is what producers always want.

• Woman’s Hour positions their audience to take a preferred reading by selecting a specific presenter (Anita Rani), discussing taboo topics (e.g. botox) and using a partiulcar format (causual and chatty). These aspects all conform to their target audience thus increasing the likelihood of prefrred readings.

Woman’s Hour (Industry): Curran & Seaton’s Power & Media Industries Theory

• How is ownership and funding of the BBC socially diverse?

• Does Woman’s Hour validate the idea that the media is ran by a small number of congolmerates?

• What type of content does Woman’s Hour provide?

• Ownership and funding of the BBC can be seen as more socially diverse because it’s a public service broadcaster and is funded by the public paying a TV licence whereas commercial radio is funded by adverts.

• Woman's Hour invalidates the idea that the media is ran by a small number conglomerates who are driven by profit and power as the BBC is a public service broadcaster with five public service responsibilities which aim to serve the public, meaning it’s not a conglomerate.

• The licence fee allows producers to be more adventurous with their content, for example, taboo themes such as botox and ADHD are discussed on Woman’s Hour. On commercial radio, these would typically be avoided as they have a wider audience to provide for whereas Woman’s Hour has a more niche audience.

Woman’s Hour (Industry): Livingstone & Lunt’s Regulation Theory

• How does the BBC regulate?

• As a public service broadcaster, the BBC already has strict guidelines and therefore self-regulates. This is evident by its five public service responsibilities that aim to serve the public so that they essentially won’t have anything to complain about with the content the BBC produce. The BBC is also regulated by Ofcom whose job it is to issue licences for all commercial television and radio services.