PIrate Radio
the illegal broadcasting of radio on ships outside of british waters
- no licence no restrictions
pirate radio extended ideas
- pirate radio came about around 1960s.
- Radio Caroline was able to broadcast across the whole country
- They were liberated from oversight could play whatever music they liked
- youth audiences flooded to them and it saw a rise of some extremely popular DJs
- became commercially successful earning money from advertisers who wanted to capture young audiences
why youth preferred pirate radio?
- bbc didnt play rock or pop music
- bbc had to adhere to remit, entertainment was the last thing on the remit
- bbc didnt follow the explosion of youth content. no content that the youth wanted
radio caroline
- one of the biggest pirate radio broadcasters => 15 million listeners a DAY
- powerful enough to broadcast to whole country
- no regulation
- liberated to play whatever they wanted
- youth culture flooded to them -> rise of popular DJs
how did pirate radio make money?
Commercially => made money from advertisers who wanted to cater towards young audiences
BBC radios in 1964
BBC Radio Home => education programmes and news. speech based.
BBC light => mainly light entertainment (comedy, drama) and light/easy listening music
BBC third => intellectual arts-based talk and music
swinging sixties
youth revolution in great britain
- mid to late sixties
- modernity, progressive values, fun, loving hedonism
- rock n roll became popular
- rise of hippie movement: music, fashion, art
feminism stuff in swinging sixties
- equality and discrimination was addressed
- mini skirt was allowed to be worn
- more jobs for women (post WW2)
why did the government not like pirate radio?
- broadcast compromised ship to shore communications and distress signals
- used copyrighted music without payment to various bodies
- operated just outside the law => affecting the stability of society and the public’s faith in the authorities (anarchic atmosphere)
the death of pirate radio (1967)
- the marine and broadcasting offences act
- made pirate radio illegal if they were operated or assisted by persons subject to UK law
in response to pirate radio the bbc created:
Radio 1: continuous pop music
Radio 2: easy listening
Radio 3: classical and cultural programming
Radio 4: news and non musical
BBC conventions b4 tony blackburn
- traditional
- sophisticated
- calming
- high brow
- slow paced
- structured
- queens english
issue with addition of tony blackburn
BBC up to this point was very formal, hiring these DJs caused a shift in their dynamic. negotiated/oppositional readings from old BBC enjoyers.
Radio 1 w/ tony blackburn
- goofy
- informal/casual
- enthusiastic/expressive
- used jingles
- light
- low brow
- unrestricted and unscripted
- freedom
- innovative
- colloquial language
