Organisational Structures and Ownership in The UK Radio Industry

Grading:



Commercial (Independent) Radio
Radio Stations that advertise.
Commercial Radio Stations broadcast for profit. By selling advertising and sponsorship they create a revenue for the company.
Commercial Radio Stations are often a local or regional station that is part of a national group. The parent company of these stations may often have other media interests.
The broadcast content of commercial radio is largely dependent upon their target audience.

State National Public Radio
The BBC. Public Service Broadcasting.
The BBC is run under the Royal Charter and funded by the licence fee. The BBC operate Radio services nationally, regionally, and local alongside digital and Internet service. They also have a worldwide Radio Service.



Not for Profit Radio
Community Radio Stations, Student Radio and Hospital Radio are the most common types of Not for Profit Radio Stations. These are operated on Restricted Service Licences for short durations varying from a few weeks to a few months.

Independent Radio Programme Production Companies

Not all Radio Stations produce all their own programmes in house. Commissioning programmes from other production companies is a way of sourcing new ideas and supporting the growing independent sector. For details of the BBC Commissioning process take a look at their website: BBC

The Websites below link to some of the independent production companies that produce programmes for radio stations such as the BBC:

Smooth Operations
USP Productions
Wise Buddah


TASK

Using the links provided, Choose 3 Commercial Radio Stations:
Regional, National, Local (could be PGFM)

Provide a Case Study for each station covering the following:

• Structure
• Any further stations
• Areas covered
• Licencing Issues
• Ownership - Who owns what, What else do they own, Vertical / Horizontal Integration?
• Content - % of Music / Talk.
• Website + listening formats.
  

Media UK
Radio Now

Job Roles, Working Practices and Developing Technologies

Jobs Roles

As within any media industry there are hundreds of different job roles from working in pre production though to post production and promotion & distribution. Using the links provided find out what the following roles entail:

Reporter; Interviewer; Researcher; Script Writer; Presenter; Radio Journalist; Producer; Studio Assistant; Programme Schedule; Commercial Trafficker; Audio Engineer; Editor; Station Manager; Air Time Sales; Community Training; Volunteer Support.

Media UK
Skillset
BBC
Real Radio
Media Courses
Radio Courses

Working Practices

Developing Technologies

Preparing for Employment in the Radio Industry

Methods of Recruitment
It is increasingly difficult to get on the first rung of the ladder in the media industry, however, once you have a foot in the door the opportunities for career progression are often ample, with companies more likely to promote internally or through word of mouth rather than by advertising vacancies, it is there for vital that you network and develop personal contacts within the industry you are working.

The most common places for vacancies to be advertised for the radio industry are within the media supplements of newspapers such as The Guardian (on a Monday) and on Industry websites such as Media UK. There are also dedicated recruitment agencies set up to assist the media industry in finding the right candidates for the vacancies.

A lot of Radio Stations advertise on their websites and occasionally they broadcast vacancies on the radio (Real Radio often does this promote vacancies within the sales and promotions departments).


Media UK
Media Guardian
Radio Talent
Grapevine
BBC Radio 1
Virgin Radio

Trade Press:
The Radio Magazine

Training Opportunities

One of the main things that radio stations look for in potential employees is experience. Although hard to come by, this is often gained through work experience, either with community and/or hospital radio, student radio or even with the professional radio stations themselves.

Real Radio run a radio academy for people aged 16+ who already have some radio experience (such as school/hospital radio) and are on a media course. Although highly subscribed, for the lucky ones it provides a valuable insight into the running of a commercial radio station. They also have a student sponsorship scheme for those applying to certain post graduate media courses. These not only provide support and experience for those looking to gain entry to the radio profession, but also enable Real Radio to hand pick and train those with potential to the standard that they require for their company.

There are many different courses that are not affiliated with radio stations that offer radio specific training. The London Academy (see Media Courses) have fee paying courses lasting only a few days covering topics such as radio presenting and production. The Trade Union BECTU also run courses often tied in with certain media institutions.

Bectu Learning
Education & Training
Broadcast Journalism Training Council
Media Courses
Radio Courses

Professional Bodies
Within the media industry there are many different Trade Unions, Guilds and Associations, with a purpose of representing and supporting those who work within the industry. Below are links to some of the professional bodies associated with the radio industry.

Student Radio Association
Trade Unions
Bectu
Audio Engineering Society
The Institute of Broadcast Sound
The Radio Academy
The Radio Centre
The Writers Guild of Great Britain
Equity

Initial Employment
Entry requirements vary depending on the job role and the company. Some companies require applicants to hold a relevant degree whilst others prefer relevant work experience. Personal attributes such as commitment, efficiency, reliability, punctuality, the ability to work in a team and a passion for the industry are all vital.

Presentation for Employment

Career Development

Task

Using some of the websites listed, find a suitable position to apply for and produce a professional CV stating your experience and qualifications and why you would be suitable for the role.

Contractual, Legal and Ethical Issues In The Radio Industry

Contractual

Legal

There are many different legal issues to consider within media broadcasting including:

Copyright
Defamation
Qualified/Absolute Privilege
Control over live situations
Wallpapering

Task

Provide definitions of the above legal issues and explain how the can be prevented and/or remedied.

Media Solicitors
Media Law
Access to Law




Ethical

Media Ethics
BBC Action Network
Media Ethics Magazine
CPB - Ethics guide for public radio journalism

Regulatory Bodies



OFCOM
Commercial Radio Companies Association (CRCA)
ASA
MCPS-PRS


Task

Find a recent example of a legal and ethical issue within the Radio industry that has made the news and provide a short case study detailing the issues, events and outcomes.