[Travis Bickle]

And the average age for Radio One as a whole is 32. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2058732/Research-shows-time-history-Radio-1s-average-listener-32-years-old.html

Not really a surprise I suppose.

[bmstinton93]

I saw that as well. Maybe its about time to change the music now then.

[TigerFan55]

Three years ago the average listener was aged 29 but now the station has almost 2.5million listeners aged 45 and over, according to the analysis from commercial rival GMG Radio, owner of Smooth Radio.

Wouldn't this present an obvious conflict of interest???

[neilt0]

It might be interesting to compare this with all the other "yoof" radio stations in the country. Are there any?

I bet it's just a reflection of the fact that "the kids" just don't bother with radio as much todaay, there are so many other ways for them to be entertained while on the move -- Spotify, Podcasts, Facebook, Texting, BBM, gaming etc.

I bet it's just that the gerneral radio audience is getting older because the kids aren't listening to the radio like they used to. Back in the olden days, that's all you had. Not so much now.

Also, doesn't RAJAR use paper-based submissions? If so, they are notoriously unreliable, as was proven when those paper thingies were replaced with electronic monitors -- some radio station "figures" halved in Los Angeles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbitron#P ... ople_Meter

[richbrown]

I've always thought that sampling is a very unreliable way of getting figures, especially if the method of collection is unreliable in itself. I always take any figures that come out with a pinch of salt, good or bad.

[neilt0]

I've always thought that sampling is a very unreliable way of getting figures, especially if the method of collection is unreliable in itself. I always take any figures that come out with a pinch of salt, good or bad.

It can be statistically relevant if people tell the truth, but with paper-based stuff, people often write what they think they "should" be listening to, or who they want to be successful. That was the finding once Arbitron switched to PPMs -- people were just making shit up.

[Munki Bhoy]

1... whoo hoo, I'm below average age!

2... why is this a problem?

[the sniper]

2... why is this a problem?

Because commercial radio is crap and they need someone to blame for people not listening to their stations...

EDIT: And as a 22 year old, part of Radio 1's target audience, I'd like to suggest that they do years from the 70's and 80's during the Golden Hour. This is a sure fire way to attract more young folk like me.

[chrisjames]

I suppose this will provide yet more ammunition for all the Moyles haters to say he has to be fired for being too old.We can only hope that Ben Cooper is tough enough to withstand the pressure and let true talent speak for itself.

[Yudster]

I expect its entirely my fault.

[Ilovematt]

You have to love these poll's ................

[CassieJackson]

I'm very happy to be included in a group where the average age is 33.

[hdsport82]

Three years ago the average listener was aged 29 but now the station has almost 2.5million listeners aged 45 and over, according to the analysis from commercial rival GMG Radio, owner of Smooth Radio.

Wouldn't this present an obvious conflict of interest???

...and initially reported by The Guardian! I'm sure John Plunkett just happened across this survey and was under no pressure to run a story on it!

[dreamer1978]

I am glad to be in the average of Moyles listener age. I am 33. So feeling good that i am not too old to listen to R1.

[R94N]

I wonder how many listeners that are adults now used to listen when they were kids and just continued to do so as they got older. Also it's mainly adults that are doing the commuting and driving which is when people tend to listen to the radio anyway because it's just there in the car.

[nade]

Well, started listening to Moyles when I was classed in the "target audience"... glad to see i'm not too far over the average age to be listening now

[SAV1OUR]

Blah de blah, yeah yeah whatevers:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... ddle-youth

[Wykey]

1... whoo hoo, I'm below average age!

2... why is this a problem?

It could be a problem because of the way the BBC works. Each station, be it TV or Radio fulfills a specific role that commercial tv or radio might not or cannot.

There could be an argument that if Radio 1's mission statement is to educate, inform and entertain 13-25 year olds, then the surveys should reflect that aim, and the majority of listeners should fall within that age group. If it's being listened to by 45-60 year olds, then it's broadcasting the wrong message.

The problem is, anyone can commission a study and anyone can tell that study to focus on a particular area which will result in skewed results and ultimately the survey will generally fit whatever agenda the people who commission it have.

So commerical radio and tv will always make a song and dance of everything they perceive to be outside the BBC's remit, and pretend that if only the BBC played fair, their awful, unimaginative, homogenised generic, computer generated radio station would have ten million listeners a day.

[Munki Bhoy]

So basically, the BBC's remit is that when I hit a certain age I should just piss off and listen to something else?

If that's the case, they better change Radio 2 while they're at it. It's a load of pish at the moment as far as I - the too old for Radio 1 now listener - am concerned.

[Wykey]

In short, yes.

In slightly more detail:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/servic ... adio.shtml


Radio 1
The remit of Radio 1 is to entertain and engage a broad range of young listeners with a distinctive mix of contemporary music and speech. It should reflect the lives and interests of 15–29 year olds but also embrace others who share similar tastes.

It should offer a range of new music, support emerging artists – especially those from the UK – and provide a platform for live music. News, documentaries and advice campaigns should cover areas of relevance to young adults.

Radio 2
The remit of Radio 2 is to be a distinctive, mixed music and speech service, targeted at a broad audience, appealing to all age groups over 35.

It should offer entertaining popular music programmes and speech-based content including news, current affairs, documentaries, religion, arts, comedy, readings and social action output.

Radio 3
The remit of Radio 3 is to offer a mix of music and cultural programming in order to engage and entertain its audience. Around its core proposition of classical music, its speech-based programming should inform and educate the audience about music and culture. Jazz, world music, drama, the arts and ideas, and religious programming should feature in its output.

The service should appeal to listeners of any age seeking to expand their cultural horizons through engagement with the world of music and the arts.

Radio 4
The remit of Radio 4 is to be a mixed speech service, offering in-depth news and current affairs and a wide range of other speech output including drama, readings, comedy, factual and magazine programmes.

The service should appeal to listeners seeking intelligent programmes in many genres which inform, educate and entertain.

Radio 5
The remit of Radio 5 Live is to be BBC Radio's home of continuous news and live sports coverage. It should aim to bring its audience major news stories and sports events as they happen, and provide context through wide-ranging analysis and discussion.

Programming should be designed to inform, entertain and involve. The service should appeal to news and sports fans of all ages and from all ethnic backgrounds and areas across the UK.

[Munki Bhoy]

Radio 1 should reflect the lives and interests of 15–29 year olds

Radio 2 appealing to all age groups over 35

So where the hell do I fit in?! 30-34, * you!

[Nicola_Red]

I should have defected to Radio 2 almost 2 years ago. I don't mind it now and then, but I don't feel ready for a full-time switch. I remember when my mum made the change - at one time she used to know who most people in the charts were, then suddenly she was just like "what on earth is this noise?" She had clearly lost touch, never to regain it. I don't wanna go to that place just yet.

[Nicola_Red]

I just don't wanna lose touch with current music. I have no idea why I care, but there it is. Even if the stuff in the charts is crappy, I'd rather know than not know.

[bmstinton93]

Same here. But then again I'm apparently not within the target audience anymore...

[BBQ]

Proud to be one of the rebels, not only outside of the target range (age 44) but also listening for the talk (Moyles daily and Scott Mills for podcasts) and skipping most of the music. I know who LMFAO is but don't care for them in the least. LMFAO huh, I prefer - ROFLSHWMSFOAIDMT (rolling on the floor laughing so hard when my sombrero fell off and i dropped my taco).