Radio: Apple Beats 1 radio CSP case study

Our second and final Radio CSP is Apple Beats 1 Radio (2015).

Remember, our Radio products are targeted CSPs and need to be studied with reference to two elements of the Audiences and Industries as well as Historical, Social and Cultural Contexts. This means we need to study the way radio audiences and industries have changed over time and what impact this may have on society.

Notes from the lesson: Apple Beats 1 Radio

Beats 1 is wholly owned by Apple and launched in 2015 as a free live streaming global 'always on' radio station. It claims to work across genres but often focuses on indie and rap music. 

It launched with three DJs representing different music scenes:

Zane Lowe: poached from Radio 1
Ebro Darden: from New York radio station Hot 97
Julie Adenuga: London DJ from former pirate station Rinse FM - expert on grime music

Beats 1 demonstrates emerging, future developments in the media and provides an opportunity to study issues linked to ownership, globalisation and convergence.





Audience

How does Apple Beats 1 target its audience?

• Established DJs who will bring their own fan base –  there are ‘guest’ DJs who are well known singers and groups. 
• DJs are well-known in the niche music genre and bring an audience and reputation with them.  DJs are recruited for their knowledge and reputation (and are paid a lot to work with Apple.)
• Content exclusive to Beats1 such as Taylor Swift back catalogue (which is not available on Spotify).  Artists sign exclusivity deals with certain online providers.  This does influence what music DJs can play as artists who have signed up to Apple may get preference.
• Beats1 sells itself on the quality of the DJs and in this it is different to Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music as it allows the audience to develop Personal Relationship (Blumler and Katz) with the DJs. 

Active v passive audience

What opportunities are there on Beats1 to actively engage?

• Listeners can send in requests via social media platforms (interaction happens over Twitter but the @Beats1 account only has 565k) so it’s not a huge attention driver.
• Beats 1 includes a Mixtape segment where you can submit songs: there is the space to do these recommendations right within Music.
• It’s interactive in that you can buy the music you hear, so you can ‘shift’ music from ‘radio’ to your own playlist.
• You can then ‘Share’ these playlists with other users (as in Spotify) which allows you to be more of a Prosumer. 

Industry contexts

What is the difference between iTunes, Apple Beats 1 Radio and Apple Music?

iTunes is all about media ownership, functioning as both a virtual record store and an efficient digital library for music and other media (movies, TV shows, etc) that you own personally. The software comes pre-installed on all Apple devices, and is available as a free download for non-Apple PCs and mobile devices. iTunes doesn’t require a subscription fee to use.

Beats 1 Radio is an internet-based global radio station.


Apple Music is all about streaming. You pay a flat fee to unlock access to Apple Music’s entire catalogue, but you don’t actually own the music you listen to. 


Why did Apple launch a radio station?

To market Apple Music - its new subscription streaming product. If consumers have access to all the world's music at their fingertips, they'll need a guide: Someone to suggest things to listen to.  If Apple can control the music we listen to through their radio channels, they can link it to their iTunes presence where music purchases can happen (which means REVENUE!)

To boost iTunes purchasing - as part of the deal, Apple acquired Beats Music, which was an established subscription streaming music service.  There were rumours that Apple was only interested in Beats Music in an effort to boost a decline in iTunes numbers.

To gain more control of the streaming market:  Apple already has a loyal and substantial consumer base through iTunes.  Apple Beats 1 is another method of keeping Apple customers away from competitors such as Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music etc.

How much is Beats 1 Radio a threat to traditional industries?

Read a range of answers to this question in this BBC feature on the launch of Apple Beats 1 Radio. A selection of quotes:

“Beats 1 isn't about radio, it's about music. Most radio stations offer local news, travel, information and entertainment so Apple's new single radio station won't have much of an impact on most of them. People who listen to local radio generally don't listen for the music. However, specialist music stations such as 1Xtra, Kiss, 6 Music (and to an extent, Capital and Radio 1) will be more at risk.” - Roy Martin - managing editor, Radio Today

“Apple Music is by it own admission a music service for music people and I'd contend great music stations like BBC Radio 6 Music, Australia's Triple J and LA's KCRW already do this…. This lack of appeal to mainstream listeners is I think the reason I found Apple Music - as it stands - a bit underwhelming; it's a version of Spotify with its music streaming service, a bit of BBC Introducing with Connect and a bit of 6 Music with Beats 1” - Jeff Smith - head of music, BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music


The changing nature of radio

Young people tend to listen to radio much less as the media landscape is saturated with other products for them to consume (games, apps, numerous TV channels, streaming services, etc).  


Also, people now expect to consume media products not in a linear fashion (you turn on the radio and hear what’s currently broadcast) but on-demand (streaming services such as Spotify, Amazon Music and Deezer).

Radio in the 1960s v radio today

There are many differences in the radio industry between the launch of BBC Radio 1 in 1967 and the global online marketplace we see today:

• More radio stations broadcasting (There are around 600 licensed radio stations in the country) and thousands of online broadcasters.
• Improved quality as radio moved from AM to FM and now to DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting).
• Radio stations have become increasingly specialised (look at Absolute 60s, 70s, 80s, etc.)
• Many shows are downloadable on-demand (e.g. as podcasts), on a range of devices (e.g. using iPlayer on TV) and streaming-only ‘stations’ (e.g. Spotify ‘stations with no DJs')

Apple Beats 1 Radio CSP: blog tasks

Work through the following questions to complete your final Radio case study on Apple Beats Radio:

Background, industries and the impact of the internet

1) How have our music listening habits changed since 1960?

2) When did Apple Beats 1 Radio launch and what is it?

3) What is the difference between Beats 1 Radio, iTunes and Apple Music?

4) Why was Apple so keen to enter the online music world and compete with Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music (and others)?

5) Why did Apple choose the three selected DJs for launch? 

6) How does the use of DJs differ from Spotify, Amazon Music and other streaming services? 

7) How does the content of the Julia Adenuga show differ from Radio 1? 

8) Why does Beats 1 radio give Apple the power to make or break new artists? Is this a good thing or a bad thing for the music industry?

9) Read the BBC feature on the launch of Apple Beats 1 Radio. Did the industry experts think it would be a success? Why?

10) Give arguments for and against the idea that Beats 1 will be a threat to traditional media industries (e.g. radio stations, record shops, online music retailers etc.)

Audience

1) Who is the target audience for Beats1 and Julia Adenuga in particular? Refer to demographics and psychographics.

2) Why do people listen to Beats1? Which aspects of Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory relate to Beats 1 and its audience?

3) Can the audience actively interact with the Apple Beats 1 Radio or are they passive when listening? How? Give examples. 

4) Is Apple Beats 1 aimed at a mass or niche audience? How does this differ to BBC Radio 1?

5) Do you think Apple Beats 1 radio will be popular with young audiences or are streaming services the future of audio-based media?


Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this Computer World feature on Apple Beats 1 Radio. Why does it describe it as 'genius'? 

Read this BBC interview with Julie Adenuga regarding her new role at Apple Beats 1 Radio. Why is she so influential in terms of breaking new artists? 

Read this Fader interview with Julie Adenuga. Why is she the 'most trusted voice on UK music' and why did this appeal to Apple to hire her for Beats 1 Radio?

Finally, try this exam question on Radio: How far do you agree that Beats 1 and similar online providers are a threat to conventional radio stations?

End of Year 1 exams: revision and preparation

Your End of Year 1 exams are now fast approaching and it's vital you revise and prepare for these tests.

Your exams will be as follows:

Paper 1: week commencing Monday 24 June

Paper 2: week commencing Monday 1 July

Your Media teacher will confirm the exact dates for your exams as it depends on when your Media lessons are timetabled.

One of the most important aspects of preparing for examinations is knowing exactly what topics could come up in each exam. For your End of Year 1 Media exams, you need to prepare for the following topics:

Paper 1

• Unseen media language analysis
• Advertising & Marketing: OMO, NHS Represent and Galaxy Audrey Hepburn advert
• Magazine: Tatler and Reveal

Paper 2

• Television
• Short extract from either Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child OR Class: Co-owner of a Lonely Heart
• Questions on the extract
• 20 mark essay on BOTH Doctor Who and Class

Please note that our new topic of Radio will NOT come up in these exams but will be examined in PPEs next year.

In summary, you need to revise the following:

• All media language and theory learned throughout the course (remember LIAR - language, industries, audiences, representations)
• Advertising and Marketing CSPS: OMO, NHS Represent and Galaxy Audrey Hepburn advert
• Magazine CSPs: Reveal and Tatler
• Television CSPs: Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child and Class: Co-owner of a Lonely Heart plus all contexts (language - e.g. narrative/genre, industry, audience, representation)

Due: for your first exam!

Radio: Launch of Radio 1 CSP case study

Our first Radio CSP is the launch of BBC Radio 1 in 1967.

Our Radio products are targeted CSPs and need to be studied with reference to two elements of the Audiences and Industries as well as Historical, Social and Cultural Contexts. This means we need to study the way radio audiences and industries have changed over time and what impact this may have on society.

Notes from the lesson: BBC Radio 1 launch

The launch of Radio 1 was an event of historical and social significance and an important turning point in the history of radio. You would not normally be aware of this historical period in radio, but it provides a useful point of contrast with modern radio stations that can be online / niche / youth-orientated / available on a number of different platforms.

The history of BBC Radio


It is key in this unit of work to understand the importance of radio in 1967. Television was not yet universally available and radio was the key entertainment device. The radio provision in the mid-1960s was:

BBC Radio Home (1939-1967) broadcasting education programmes and news. Mainly speech-based. Replaced by Radio 4.

BBC Radio Light (1945-1967) broadcasting mainly light entertainment (comedy / drama) and music. Replaced by Radio 2.

BBC Third (1946-1970) broadcasting intellectual arts-based talk and music. Replaced by Radio 3.

BBC: funding and reorganisation of radio

As you have seen from our work on Doctor Who and Class, the BBC is funded through the compulsory licence fee (£154.50 now; it was around £4 a year in the 1960s). As everybody pays, then everybody should receive content suitable for their needs. Given the growth of pirate radio in the mid 1960s, the BBC realised that it was not providing content for this growth market of younger people. 

In response, the BBC reorganised and renamed their radio channels. On 30 September 1967, the Light Programme was split into Radio 1 offering continuous "Popular" music and Radio 2 for more 'Easy Listening'.
  
The "Third" programme became Radio 3 offering classical music and cultural programming. The Home Service became Radio 4 offering news, and non-musical content such as quiz shows, readings, dramas and plays. 

Historical context: the 1960s and pirate radio

There were changing attitudes to music and youth culture in the early 1960s.  ‘Pop’ music was becoming more popular and attitudes in young people were becoming more relaxed.  There was clearly a need for a radio outlet for this music with a less formal presentation style; but there was nothing on the BBC. This led to the growth of ‘pirate’ radio stations who could produce these shows for young people, but were beyond the control of regulators.

There were concerns that too much music on the radio would mean that people would no longer buy records, so the  Musicians' Union and Phonographic Performance Limited (a music licensing company) restricted the amount of recorded music that could be transmitted by the BBC during the course of any 24-hour period. This was called ‘Needle Time’ and in 1967 meant they could only play five hours of music per day. Pirate stations did not have these restrictions imposed on them because the law was difficult to apply offshore - and so could play more music. They were, therefore, more popular with young people than the BBC.

BBC Radio 1 launch: successful?

When first launched in 1967, Radio 1 was not as popular as the BBC had hoped. There were a number of reasons why Radio 1 was not a success initially:

• It was not seen as ‘cool’ by many young people as the BBC stood for traditional, conservative values.
• It struggled financially as there was no increase in the licence fee to pay for this extra radio station.
• Whilst Radio 1 tried to copy the pirate radio’s style, it didn’t quite do it effectively initially as it broadcast simultaneously with Radio 2 – so it had to have a more formal style than the pirate broadcasters.  Some young people didn’t respond positively to this.

However, the 1967 the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act officially outlawed pirate radio stations. The Government had closed the legal loophole that allowed these stations to broadcast and these had a British audience of 10 to 15 million. This meant the audience had to go to Radio 1 if they wanted to listen to popular music.

Many of the pirate station broadcasters then were then employed by BBC Radio 1, thus bringing many of the their loyal listeners with them. Commercial radio didn’t broadcast until 1973 so it had no competition. Radio 1 also developed better content more suitable to the target audience as it became more popular. In the 1970s and 1980s, Radio 1 became the most listened to station in the world with audiences regularly over 10 million. 

You can read and watch more about the launch of BBC Radio 1 here.

Radio 1 Launch CSP: blog tasks

Work through the following questions to complete your first Radio case study on the launch of BBC Radio 1:

Historical, social and cultural context

1) What radio stations were offered by the BBC before 1967?

2) How was BBC reorganised in September 1967?

3) What was pirate radio and why was it popular?

4) Why did pirate radio stop broadcasting in 1967?

5) How did the BBC attract young audiences to Radio 1 after pirate radio stations were closed down?

6) What was 'needle time' and why was it a problem for BBC Radio?

7) How did BBC Radio 1 offer different content to previous BBC radio stations?

8) Who was the first presenter for BBC Radio 1 and why did these new Radio 1 DJs cause upset initially at the traditional BBC?

9) Listen to excerpts from the Tony Blackburn's first 1967 broadcast - how might it have appealed to young listeners?

10) What conventions did Tony Blackburn's radio show borrow from pirate radio - which made it very different to previous BBC radio content?

Audience and industry

1) What was the target audience for BBC Radio 1 in 1967?

2) Why did Radio 1 initially struggle to attract young listeners?

3) What audience pleasures did Radio 1 offer listeners in 1967? (Use Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory).

4) How is the BBC funded?

5) Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would the preferred and oppositional reading have been of BBC Radio 1 in 1967? 


Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Go to this history of BBC Radio on the BBC website. Read and watch the content. Why was the launch of BBC Radio 1 such an important cultural moment in British history?

Read this Guardian interview with the second DJ to broadcast on BBC Radio 1. How does he describe the 1960s and his move to the BBC?

The BBC is a public service broadcaster. What does this mean and why is it an important part of the history of BBC Radio 1?


You will get some lesson time to complete this but will need to finish for homework - due Tuesday 2 July.

TV: Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart blog tasks

Now that we've completed our in-depth analysis of Class in class, we need to completed a detailed, comprehensive blog case study. 

Remember, we will get questions on a specific clip in the exam (either from Class or Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child) PLUS an extended essay question testing our knowledge of both CSPs and the wider television industry. 

Notes from the lessons on Class can be found in this separate blogpost here. If you're struggling with any of the questions below then look over the notes in your book and in the notes blogpost before you ask for help.


Class: Co-owner of a Lonely Heart blog tasks

Work through the following tasks and questions to demonstrate your comprehensive knowledge of Class: Co-owner of a Lonely Heart.

Language and close-textual analysis

1) Write an NCIS analysis for the episode - using notes from the screening in class. Make specific, detailed reference to moments in the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots and movement, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)

Co-owner of a Lonely Heart

Narrative:

Character:

Iconography:

Setting:


2) How does Todorov's theory of equilibrium apply to Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Try and use the expanded version of Todorov's theory: Equilibrium - Disruption - Recognition - Reparation - New equilibrium.

3) Applying Propp's character theory, what character roles do each of the main characters in Class fit into? Alternatively, you may wish to discuss how characters do not fit Propp's character types.

4) What enigma and action codes (Barthes) can you find in Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Make specific, detailed reference to the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)

5) What examples of binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) can you find in Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? How do these create narrative or drama for the audience?


Representations

1) How is gender represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Are gender stereotypes reinforced or subverted?

2) How is age (e.g. teenagers; older people like teachers or parents) represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Does the show reinforce or challenge stereotypes about young people?

3) How is race and ethnicity represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Are  stereotypes reinforced or subverted?

4) How is sexuality represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? How does this reflect the BBC's remit to represent modern Britain?

5) How is disability represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Why are disabled people generally under-represented in the media and how does Class try to address this?

Audience

1) What were the viewing figures for Class and why do you think it did so badly?

2) What audience psychographic groups might particularly enjoy Class?

3) What audience pleasures are offered by Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas.

Personal Identity:

Personal Relationships:

Diversion (Escapism):

Surveillance (Information / Facts):

4) Thinking of the 3 Vs audience pleasures (Visceral, Vicarious and Voyeuristic pleasures), which of these can be applied to Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart?

5) How did fans in the 'Whoniverse' (also known as 'Whovians') react to Class? Watch the fan reaction video (and read the YouTube comments) on the Class notes blogpost or check the comments in the extension articles below to help with this.


Industries

1) What was the objective of BBC3 when it was launched?

2) Why did BBC3 go online-only in February 2016? 

3) How does Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart meet the BBC's mission statement to 'inform, educate and entertain'?

4) How did the distribution of Class contribute to the failure of the show with audiences?

5) What advertising and marketing was used to try and promote Class to an audience? Why do you think this wasn't very successful?


Comparison: An Unearthly Child and Co-owner of a Lonely Heart

1) How are the technical conventions different between 1963 Doctor Who and 2016 Class (e.g. camerawork, editing, sound and mise-en-scene)?

2) What similarities and differences are there between An Unearthly Child and Co-owner of a Lonely Heart in terms of the science-fiction genre?

3) What similarities and differences are there between An Unearthly Child and Co-owner of a Lonely Heart in terms of how they meet the BBC's remit to inform, educate and entertain?

4) How are representations of people, places and groups similar or different in the two shows?

5) What similarities and differences can you find in terms of the audience pleasures for An Unearthly Child and Co-owner of a Lonely Heart?



Grade 8/9 extension tasks and reading

Read this Digital Spy feature on why Class was cancelled after only one series. Do you agree with its criticisms regarding scheduling, audience and character development?

This Guardian review of Class is much more positive - but the comments 'below the line' (BTL) are largely critical. Do you agree with the original review or the comments - and why?

Read this Den of Geek fan review of Co-owner of a Lonely Heart. Do you agree with the praise and criticism in it and why?

Finally, read this Indiewire feature on Class. It contains plenty of references to other films and TV shows (intertextuality) - what popular culture references can you find in this article?


You have two weeks to complete this case study - remember, the more depth and detail you offer the better you will do in your end of year exam (and the real exams next year!)

Due date: Tuesday 25 June

TV: Class - notes from the lessons

Our second television Close-Study Product is Doctor Who spin-off Class from 2016.

Remember, TV is an in-depth study which means we need to analyse the products in terms of media language, industries, audience and representation. Television will be examined in Paper 2 with a short clip to analyse - either from Class or from Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child. You can find the Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child notes here and the Doctor Who case study blog tasks here.

For Class, the notes are below and you'll find the case study blog tasks for on this separate blogpost here.

Notes from the lessons

Television CSPs - what we need to study

Episode 1 of Dr Who: An Unearthly Child, 1955
Episode 4 of Class: Co-owner of a Lonely Heart

Media Language: how the television shows communicate their message through mise-en-scene and narrative.
Industry: how the shows are produced and marketed; BBC funding and regulation.
Representation: How certain groups and individuals and ideas / issues are represented in the shows.
Audience: Target audience and audience pleasures.
PLUS: Historical, cultural and social significance of the television shows.

Language

Key terminology for studying Class:

• Brand Identity: how a business presents itself and wants to be perceived by the consumer.
• Spin Off: a by-product of another, main product (e.g. this is from the Doctor Who universe).
• Ethos: characteristics of a product based on the attitudes it shows.
• Hybridity: Two genres or media types combined e.g. Stranger Things is a science fiction / horror television drama. 
• Intertextuality: When one media text references another media text (e.g The Doctor appears in Class)
• Multi-strand: when a narrative is made up of lots of different storylines

Reminder - TV drama conventions: 

• Dramatic narrative, usually linear (with continuity across episodes.) This is called narrative arc e.g 13 Reasons Why and The Killing where the mystery spans the series.
• Ensemble cast (characters with own storylines). Sometimes an episode will focus more on one character e.g. in LOST.
• Specific technical codes e.g. realistic lighting and editing for social dramas to keep it gritty.
• Use of stereotypical characters to get messages across quickly.
• Narrative formula that is always followed e.g. Casualty (3 Strand); Homeland (multi-strand narrative).
• Common use of flashback, point of view shots, dialogue and voice over, enigma and action codes throughout. 

Reminder - Science Fiction conventions (NCIS):

Narrative

• Alien invasion
• Scientific advancement
• Artificial intelligence
• Time travel  
• Mutation
• Post-apocalyptic struggles to survive
• Chemical poisoning
• Advanced technology
• Experimentation
• Disease / Contamination
• Space travel 

Characters

• Doubles / Doppelgangers / Clones
• Aliens who look like humans
• Aliens who look different 
• New species
• Scientists 
• People with advanced / superior intelligence
• Robots and advanced AI e.g. computers who can think

Iconography

• Futuristic hair and clothing
• Military uniforms
• Spaceships
• Space suits and helmets
• Futuristic weapons (light sabers / laser guns)
• Laboratories and experimental props
• Prosthetics / make-up
• Colours- blue, silver, grey, green 
• Time machines / advanced computers/gadgets

Settings

• Futuristic worlds
• Parallel universes / alternate dimensions
• Different time periods
• Space or other planets
• Dystopian or post-apocalyptic environments
• Laboratories
• Contaminated or toxic environments

Class: An introduction

Class is a spin-off series from Doctor Who and was shown on BBC3 and iPlayer in 2016.

The story focuses on five of the students and staff at Coal Hill Academy (which is the same school featured in Episode 1: An Unearthly Child - an example of intertextuality) who are tasked by the Doctor to deal with alien threats while trying to deal with their personal lives. 

Class is aimed specifically at a young adult audience and contains sexual content, violence and language above the level allowed on the parent series.

The premise of series one is that some characters are the last survivors of an alien war (with the Shadow Kin) and are hiding on Earth after being rescued by the Doctor.  The Doctor appoints Miss Quill and the pupils as protectors of the school, noting that it has become a beacon throughout space-time. Until that moment a normal student, April is left sharing a heart with the Shadow Kin king, Corakinus, after a short fight in the first episode.

The narrative structure in each episode and across the series is built using a multi-strand narrative which means that there are a range of plots building across each episode and  narrative arcs which span the whole series. 

 

Characters

Charlie Smith, an alien posing as a human student. He is the gay prince of the Rhodians, and the last of his species.

Ram Singh, a tough, antisocial student and gifted football player.  Lost his leg in a fight with Corakinus on S1 Ep1.  Key episode Ep2.

April MacLean, an ordinary, unremarkable student whose life is forever changed when she encounters the king of the Shadow Kin, Corakinus.  She shares a heart with him in Ep1 [which is key to understanding Ep4].

Andrea Quill, real name Andra'ath, the physics teacher at Coal Hill Academy. Like Charlie, she is secretly an alien and the last of her species, the Quill, long-time war enemies of the Rhodians. 

Tanya Adeola, a child prodigy of Nigerian origin who moved up three years at due to her cleverness. Key episode Ep3


Corakinus, the evil king of the Shadow Kin.  Shares a heart with April.  Travels through time/space tear at Coal Hill.

Episode 1: For Tonight We Might Die


This is NOT the CSP that will come up in the exam but is useful to introduce the characters, setting and main themes of the show. You can find out details on the episode (and the rest of the series) on the BBC3 Class episodes page but unfortunately the programme is no longer on iPlayer. It is, however, on Netflix if you have a Netflix account.


Class: Co-owner of a Lonely Heart

Episode analysis

Watch episode 4 again - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart. You can watch the episode (and the rest of the series) on Netflix (link above).

Focus on your notes from class (or make your own notes) based around NCIS.

Narrative: multi-strand narrative


There are a number of narrative strands running through this episode.  They include:

• April's story
• Corakinus's story
• New Headteacher at Coal Hill Academy
• Flower petal invasion/danger

Audience

Unlike Doctor Who and more in line with Torchwood before it (which also debuted on BBC3), Class is aimed specifically at a young adult audience and contains sexual content, violence and language above the level allowed in Doctor Who.

It was broadcast initially on BBC Three (online only) to poor audience figures and later broadcast on BBC One between 10.45pm and 11.15pm slots.

When the programme was on BBC One it was aired at 11.30pm had an audience of 0.28 million, a share of 5.1% of total TV audience. Around 250,000 have accessed the episode on iPlayer 

Target audience

• Some mainstream appeal as it is linked to the ‘Whoniverse’ (Doctor Who universe) but too niche perhaps for a mass audience?
• The show tried to appeal to young adult audience by including sexual scenes, more violence and more daring representations. Why was this not effective?
• 15 certificate: ‘strong bloody violence, gory images, injury detail’
• References to popular culture (pop culture) has meant an appeal to a wider age range. 
• Demographics: A-E class as some complex plot points but also action and SFX that are easy to understand
• More diverse representation regarding gender, race and sexuality.

Fans - the 'Whoniverse' reaction

Watch this fan reaction video on Co-owner of a Lonely Heart from the Doctor Who YouTube channel:





Representations

Diversity in Class

Much has been made of the diverse casting for Class, as well as the LGBT lead which was touted by the BBC prior to Class’ release. Do you think these representations and narratives are executed well? 

RACE & CLASS: The actors are from a range of ethnic and social class backgrounds, and it seems as though more may be to come about that in future episodes, since the premiere seemed to hint at some difficulties between Ram and his father. 

SEXUALITY: The homosexual kiss that Charlie shares with his date is normalised due to his role as an alien who only follows feelings and has no preconceptions of sexuality. 

GENDER: Tanya (a member of the BAME community) and April have intelligence and an academic prowess that they’re rightfully proud of, and Ram has emotions that he’s not afraid to show or speak about.  Miss Quill is presented as an unemotional leader. These facts show that Class is trying to break barriers and subvert previous media stereotypes.

DISABILITY: April has a mother who is disabled and their relationship is explored.

AGE: The Doctor and Miss Quill are both powerful, older characters and the young characters are seen displaying maturity and making tough decisions. On the other hand, some characters (e.g. Tanya's Mum) reinforce stereotypes of the strict parent and some aspects of the main characters also reinforce teen stereotypes.

Industries

Class failed to make an impact for the BBC, with some mixed reviews and poor viewing figures. Class failed to make the BBC iPlayer Top 20 in its first seven weeks, and failed to secure over 1m viewers at any point when repeated on BBC One. This was for a number of reasons:

• iPlayer release only initially.
• BBC One late showing (after 10.30 slots).  Poor scheduling.
• The show was axed after one series.  Why was this?
• No-one – not even the BBC – seemed entirely sure who the show was for. A teen-oriented drama with adult themes, spun off from a series intended (primarily) for children, the tone of Class was confused.
• Creator Patrick Ness was baffled by the decision to air the series in double-bills, late at night, more than two months after its BBC Three debut.
• It sorely lacked a big selling point. Clearly, spinning itself off from Doctor Who was not enough to guarantee success.

Class distribution

Media distribution is a term for the way the product reaches audiences. In the case of Class it was originally distributed (shown) online only on BBC Three. It was then shown weeks later in a late night slot “the graveyard slot” on BBC One.

It was also shown on BBC America where it was slightly more popular. In America, the episodes were paired with Doctor Who episodes to create a ‘Whoinverse’ double bill.

Overall, the confused distribution model was almost certainly part of its downfall.

Class marketing and promotion


As Class was aimed at an older audience, there was a clear shift in the way it was marketed from traditional Doctor Who episodes (on a Saturday early evening slot).


Online marketing: Strong web presence.  Highly interactive.  Lots of video clips, interviews, fan art and fiction.  Trying to build brand loyalty BUT criticised for not making more of its link to Doctor Who.

Teaser trailer:



Longer trailer:

 



BBC3 focus

What is BBC Three and how does it fit into the profile of the BBC remit?

BBC Three launched as a TV channel in 2003 and its remit was to provide "innovative" programming to a target audience of viewers between 16 and 34 years old:

“The remit of BBC Three is to bring younger audiences to high quality public service broadcasting through a mixed-genre schedule of innovative UK content featuring new UK talent. The channel should use the full range of digital platforms to deliver its content and to build an interactive relationship with its audience. The channel's target audience is 16–34-year-olds.”

Until February 2016, BBC Three aired as a freeview TV channel. However,  as a result of planned £100 million budget cut across the BBC, it was proposed that BBC Three be discontinued as a television service, and be converted to online only. The BBC recognised that younger people may watch TV at different times, on different devices using different services (iPlayer, YouTube, Netflix, etc) due to the rise of streaming and on-demand services.

BBC3’s content budget was slashed from £85m to £30m, with around £10m now spent on comedy, £10m on serious factual, £3m for drama and the rest on new types of content, such as short-form YouTube videos.

Why the change? There were changes to its audience’s viewing habits. Less than 50% of the video consumed by 16-24 year olds is now via ‘live’ TV (back in 2003 it was 100%), while over 90% of them now own a smartphone and have at least one social media account.

BBC: Industry notes reminder

The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is a public service organisation and the oldest national broadcaster and the biggest in terms of employees [over 20,000]. It is different from other TV broadcasters in that funding comes from us all as BBC licence fee payers whereas other channels rely on advertising and sponsorship.  The BBC has 3 key purposes: To Inform, Educate & Entertain. This means:

• To provide information (that is supposed to be balanced)
• To support learning for people of all ages
• To produce creative output
• To have diverse content (such as with its representations)
• To reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and values to the world

Where does Class fit into these objectives and the BBC mission statement?


BBC regulation reminder

The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) has a board of governing members and is independent of government intervention.  This means that it can produce content free impartially.

Since 2017, The BBC is now regulated by OfCOM (the Office of Communications).  OfCOM oversees all media channels and produces a code of conduct that all media channels must follow or have their licence to make content removed and/or be fined heavily.  

This includes suitable programmes before the 9pm watershed and various other quality standards.

Important note: You can find the blog tasks for Class in a separate blogpost here.