Evolving Media: Radio

Greg James

• Took over from Nick Grimshaw on 20 August 2018
• The show's 16th presenter
• In 2017, Grimshaw recorded the lowest listening figures for Radio 1's breakfast show since records began
• 4.93 million weekly listeners between July and September 2017
• This didn't take into account online streaming
• In 2018, Radio 1 also announced they would only broadcast the Breakfast show Monday to Thursday to give listeners that 'feel-good factor a day early.

Target Audience: Broad range of young listeners (15-29 age group)

How many new listeners has Greg James attracted since he took over in 2018? 

250,000 more since Grimmy.

How has Greg James managed to 'inform, educate and entertain' listeners?

-More inclusive with his audience, entertains with quizzes, games, e.g. 'Pass the Pasty' and Hide-and-Seek with Nick Grimshaw, and music.

-Talks on mental health

How has James tackled political issues?

 -Approaches it with a lighter perspective. Deals with it by being fun, open-minded.

How has James' personality contributed to his success?

-He's just a lovely guy.

Homework Explain the success of Greg James since his takeover of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show in 2018.

-Make reference to the target audience

-Make reference to cultural/economical/political contexts.

The rule in the studio is for everyone to be "laughing at half five, if possible," which shows that Greg James' enthusiasm to be upbeat and ready to entertain his audience, makes him a real success on Radio 1, and probably for a very long time.
More than 230,000 extra listeners have been tuning in to the Radio 1 Breakfast Show since Greg James took over from Grimmy in 2018.

According to Rajar, James' reach in the last few months of 2018 was 5.1 million. However, the station dropped from 9.6 million in the third quarter of 2018 to 9.37 million in the fourth. 

Greg James likes to take a silly, optimistic approach to more grievous subjects in politics, such as Brexit and Donald Trump, and just in general. He owns a positive mindset and a down-to-earth vibe that is easy for listeners to get on board with and acknowledge that Radio 1 Breakfast Show is a "safe place" for the community to vent to, and no one is going to act prejudiced. Furthermore, James' more natural, human approach is compelling to the audience, as they feel like they can relax for a bit in the early morning, before, during or after whatever tasks/job they have to get on with. 
When it comes down to false accusations, such as Laura Laverne being slated, he has no problem being pragmatic and putting the accusers in their place.

Greg James' 'Pass the Pasty' concept was a huge hit - and his resoluteness to carry the idea through won over his bosses - as it was all-inclusive of his audience, (all the way to Scotland, which shows a lot of effort and proves his drive to make Radio 1 Breakfast show better than ever) and portrays to everyone that Greg James is simply a great, morally good guy that can appreciate everyday, normal people, and sympathise with their problems; which he has proven by expressing his own struggles with anxiety. He encourages the audience to "be weird" on his Breakfast show, as they should feel comfortable and not judged.

In addition to this, the fact that James has the ability to be empathetic and fun is vital to being a successful radio presenter, as it shows that he is able to focus his - and his massive, ever-growing audience - attentions on more productive, easier subject matters, than just the constant, ongoing negativity and fear that the BBC usually streams to the public.

• How does the programme promote British music?
• The BBC takes risks on new artists, proving exposure for the songs of new and emerging artists before release. The first time that songs of selected new artists were heard on the radio was often on the BBC. For example, George Ezra’s first single Did You Hear The Rain? was played 73 days before comparable commercial stations and Sam Smith’s La La La was played 25 days sooner.
•  BBC Radio promotes new artists and musicians by playing their songs on shows with the biggest audiences: for songs of a sample of new music artists, a higher proportion of BBC radio plays are in daytime slots than is the case for comparable commercial stations.