Is this patronising or not?

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/6fulqt9

So the BBC think that among Radio 4's 10m listeners there are too many white, Southern and elderly people.

I wonder if they also think that among Children's Radio 7's listeners there are too many child listeners or perhaps that among BBC's Radio Asian network there are too many Asian listeners?

Once again the growing obsession of trying to get certain groups interested in things they are not in the least interested in.

[jno]

erm... children's radio is aimed at children, Asian radio is aimed at Asians... but why would Radio 4 be aimed at old white southerners? Wouldn't it be named Radio Old White South if that were the case?

[jackthehat]

I believe that the BBC needs to address *how* it reaches its listeners.
I think the perception that it is *for* white, Southern and elderly people leads a potential audience NOT presently engaged with it, into believing that to be the case.

I think there are many people from all walks and spectrums who would be surprised if they actually tuned in to Radio 4.

[bazwillrun]

Typical left-wing PC garbage that one has come to expect from the "unbiased" BBC

[anotheoldgit]

jno

/// children's radio is aimed at children, Asian radio is aimed at Asians... but why would Radio 4 be aimed at old white southerners? Wouldn't it be named Radio Old White South if that were the case? ///

The whole point being it is not specifically aimed at "old white southerners"

It is the BBC that want it to appeal to certain other listeners also, why?

If they change the format, then perhaps it will no longer appeal to old white southerners anymore.

But aren't the BBC bothered about this minority group?

[jackthehat]

I tried.........................


:o(

[bednobs]

I did hear yeaterday that the budget for radio 7 will be cut, as they found out the average age of their listeners was 48 :)

[NazNomad]

"The whole point being it is not specifically aimed at 'old white southerners' ".

Not in so many words but ... http://www.bbc.co.uk/.../features/programmes/ ... who else?

It's a bit like saying McDonalds isn't aimed at kids or the clinically obese ... yeah, it's not, but is.

[Everhelpful]

I'd rather the BBC just disbanded altogether,most Programmes are expensive rubbish,in my opinion.

[pa___ul3]

///The whole point being it is not specifically aimed at "old white southerners"
It is the BBC that want it to appeal to certain other listeners also, why? ///
The wider ranging the demographic, the higher the likelihood of increased listening figures.
I'd have thought it was as simple as that, rather than any kind of old-white-southern-ism!

[modeller]

We have Radio 1,2,3, 4. for the purpose of catering different sections of the population.
What's wrong with that ? Why should everything in life be homogenised ?
Radio 4 have on occasion already tried to ape Radio 1 by interviewing pop stars and playing their music. We are surrounded by pop culture so what is the need to impose it on Radio 4 as well ?

[pa___ul3]

modeller, i agree that with the amount of different stations, the BBC should be able to offer a broad range of programmes to cater for all listeners, I was just saying that's how I'd read that comment, not that there's anything wrong with the old, southern white people but that they probably want to appeal to maybe middle aged northerners or intellectual 30 somethings as well to gain more listeners and to reinforce longevity. A station that only appeals to an ageing audience isn't going to last long.
All that about being too PC is rubbish

[jake-the-peg]

The BBC's Asian Network is a niche broadcasting service directly targeted at a particular subsection.

Radio 4 is not - it has a general target audience.

If you're trying to reach a complete cross section of the country and are not you ask what you're doing wrong.

It's not PC it's simple market forces

If a company say BP found that it had virtually no Jewish customers would they say - "Oh well we don't need them"? or would they look at finding out why and whether they could make any changes to resolve the issue.

Incidently it's impressive they only spent ten grand on the research don't you think?

seeing as the Tories spent five times that on some US consultants to coach Cameron for the TV debates!

I look forward to the Mail applauding the BBC for it's wise spending

[4846]

Like this one Jake

http://www.dailymail....g-shows-staff-UK.html

[sp1814]

AOG

The BBC aren't saying there are too many White elderly Southerners listening to Radio 4 - it's saying that other demographics aren't being enticed enough. Subtle but important difference.

Also you have to look at the roaring success of Radio 2. When I was growing up, no-one under the age of 30 EVER listened to that station - now, by hiring people like Jonathan Ross (whatever you think of him) and Dermot O'Leary, they've dramatically widened their audience.

Why can't Radio 4? If the entire nation pays for the station, why not reflect the lives and interests of the whole nation, rather than retired librarians from Suffolk?

[jake-the-peg]

That's just Daily mail Propaganda 4846

They're moving a huge amount up to Manchester to save money.

Any project of that type has a big up front cost and then recoups large savings over the following years.

So the Mule just takes the up front savings and parades them under people's noses trying to persude the gullible that it's a waste of money.

That's why it's only news in the Mail and Murdoch press

The Mail owns a big chunk of ITN so it's opinion of the BBC is a bit like asking Shell what they think of Esso

[sp1814]

JTP

The Mail Group have a large stake in ITN?

I never knew that.

A piece of the jigsaw puzzle has just fallen into place. I always wondered why there were so many anti-Beeb stories!

[Aqualung]

Here is another piece for you the BBC pay money to B&H, they have employees who join chat sites and speak up for the BBC if anyone posts anything bad about them.

I always wondered why there were so many pro Beeb fans !