Codes and Conventions The voice is one of the most important elements when thinking about radio. The voice creates an atmosphere and different voices suit different situations/stereotypes and can appeal to different audiences. Tone describes the emotion in a voice, for example aggressive. Pitch is the frequency of vibrations of the vocal cords, woman have higher pitched voices because there is more reverberation, this can draw more attention. Texture is the quality, such as rough, crisp, smooth or light. Then there is rhythm, which is the way a voice flows, the continuity and tempo. Chris Moyles from Radio1 is a good example of a smooth and consistent male voice. His voice is often considered attractive to women because it is quite deep and he speaks in a friendly tone.

Target Audience Radio reaches the majority the population. Over 90% of the population will listen to the radio during the week and the average person will spend 10 hours listening to the radio in that week. Radio is often describe as being 'like a friend'. There are different formats that radio stations use to attract their target audiences. This refers to the kinds of things they broadcast, for example Classic FM plays classical music and attracts an audience who like this (generally older generations). Another example is 2CR FM which plays today's best mix for a more adult contemporary audience. Other formats include rock and pop (Virgin FM), Music news and information (Metro) and dance and R'n'B (Galaxy Radio).

This graph shows the change in audience figures for a select few stations throughout The changes could be related to good/poor promotion or how they relate to their audience.

Budget and Finance Radio adverts are a large part of generating finance for radio stations. Different air times and length mean different prices. More popular radio stations will have a higher price for their advertising spaces as they have more listeners. Early morning and late afternoon (drive time 3-6pm) spots are the most popular and expensive. Campaigns can work out cheaper per ad with the average lasting about 4 weeks. Usually over £1000 is spent per week on an advert with costs for development which can range from £250 to £2000 but if a popular song is used it could be up to £25,000 in licensing fees. advertising/costs.html

Regulation To ensure fairness and the protection of the public there are guidelines that radio broadcasters follow. These are put forward and enforced by OFCOM who also deal with television broadcasts. Radio broadcasters are responsible for not presenting misleading information, avoiding any discrimination and protecting the under- age. Open discussions are allowed, however, with people expressing their views about politics, religion, etc. even though these may be considered controversial. Personal views should not be forced on others. Members of the public can complain to OFCOM about a radio broadcast if they feel it is inappropriate. One example would be the WHSmith advert on Classic FM. One member of the public felt that it promoted animal cruelty. OFCOM, however, kept the advert because it was for obvious comical purposes. The advertisers were warned to be more considerate in the future.

OFCOM is most like to side with the broadcasters in situations like this, otherwise there would be no material to broadcast. There are also different licenses for radio broadcasters. Schools, hospitals and off shore broadcasters have a Restricted Service License (RSL) to try and prevent pirate radio stations appearing.

Gender Representations It's quite apparent that males dominate the radio industry. A survey of 225 BBC and commercial local, regional and national radio stations, published in 2003, revealed that only 14.6% of presenters are female and 32% have no female presenters at all. Commercial radio stations aiming for an over 40's audience and specific genres, such as Gold, employ mainly men. It is often thought that both male and female listeners prefer to listen to a male voice, for the women it supposedly replaces the absent husband figure. However, women also like to have a females voice to listen and relate to. Source: Media studies: the essential resource pages By Philip Rayner, Peter Wall, Stephen Kruger

Locality Radio can be regional, national and international. With the help of the internet it is now easier for radio stations to reach a wider audience and become national and international. The accents and dialect of the presenters usually indicate local and regional stations. Local stations are like BBC Radio Leeds and regional stations are like BBC Radio Wales. Using a variety of accents and dialects on shows with a wider reach (national and international) can attract a wider target audience.

Airtime and Schedules Scheduling and airtime is important in terms of audience, presenters and advertising. Different audiences will be targeted during different times of the day and by different stations playing different kinds of music and adverts. Stations, like BBC Radio 1, often play upbeat recent hits in the morning (6-9AM) to create an active and fun atmosphere to prepare you for the day. Whereas, evening / later night shows are more likely to play chilled melodic and slow music to help you relax after a busy day. Schedules can vary though, they can be divided into shows that revolve around a certain genre like Steve Wright's Sunday Love Songs which is on BBC Radio 2 from 9-11AM and aimed at an older audience (40+). Also, some songs, specifically recent ones that want promotion, can get more airtime by playing the single on rotation throughout the day, even when the show and presenter change.