Radio: Apple Beats 1 CSP

 Background, industries and the impact of the internet

1) How have our music listening habits changed since 1960?

Since 1960, most of our music is consumed digitally, through subscription services like Spotify and generally people listen to Radio a lot less then they used to. 

 2) When did Apple Beats 1 Radio launch and what is it?

Apple Beats 1 launched in 2015, and it was initially a free 'always on' live streaming radio station that is available globally.

3) What is the difference between Beats 1 Radio, iTunes and Apple Music?

Beats 1 radio is a radio service that includes DJs who create their mixtapes to play for their audience, and it is currently a subscription-based service, i-Tunes, however is a digital store for almost every song and it focuses on allowing their audience to have ownership of the songs they purchase as well as creating their mixtapes. Apple Music is also a subscription-based service where consumers pay a flat fee, and then are given access to Apple's music catalogue but listeners do not have ownership of the songs on the service.

4) Why was Apple so keen to enter the online music world and compete with Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music (and others)?

They used Beats 1 not only to compete with other streaming services but to promote their already existent music platforms, iTunes and Apple music. They also built Beats 1 off the back of a deal they made with Beats Music, which was already an established music platform of a large following. 

5) Why did Apple choose the three selected DJs for launch? 

Apple chose the three DJs for launch due to their pre-established loyal followings and thir contacts with the music world. Zane Lowe was poached from Radio 1 to not only directly compete with Radio 1 but to also 'steal' his loyal fanbase and encourage more listeners to move away from their competitior.  This is similar to Ebro Darden, who used to be part of a famous New York radio station, further building the audience for Beats 1. Julie Adenuga was chosen, not only for her high contacts in the London rap scene, but also due to the fact she used to run a pirate radio station which was extremely popular, bringing her fanbase to Beats 1. 

 6) How does the use of DJs differ from Spotify, Amazon Music and other streaming services? 

While Spotify and similar services do have algorithms that recommend songs, Beats's 1 use of DJs means that the DJs who have expierence in the music industry can offer their audiences new and upcoming artists as well as create different mixtapes that are built from listeners's interactions. 

 7) How does the content of the Julia Adenuga show differ from Radio 1? 

Julie Adenuga's show is casual and includes guest like artists. It is very laid-back and approachable whereas Radio 1 wasn't as laid back and usually only included one speaker which could be seen as dull. Although both stations do include audience interaction, Beats 1 is much more interactive with their audience. 

8) Why does Beats 1 radio give Apple the power to make or break new artists? Is this a good thing or a bad thing for the music industry?

Beats 1 has a huge following, and depending on how often an artist is played- if at all, can change how popular they become. Also, the DJs opinon is usually sincere so they only play music they actually believe is good. This could be seen as a good thing since it allows a broader range of artists to be heard. 

9) Read the BBC feature on the launch of Apple Beats 1 Radio. Did the industry experts think it would be a success? Why?

Industry experts generally believed that Beats 1 would be successful but not to the point where it would threaten other radio stations like Radio 1. They thought the Beats 1 would be mainly a threat to music-focused radio stations and possibly even subscription services like Spotify.

10) Give arguments for and against the idea that Beats 1 will be a threat to traditional media industries (e.g. radio stations, record shops, online music retailers etc.)

Beats 1 could be seen as a threat due to Apple's buying power, also Beats 1 offers similar services to other radio stations but Beats 1 has access to it's own DJs who are expierenced and can get popular guests on their show that other radio stations probably would not be able to. Beats 1 also has close ties to Apple music and this could threaten other streaming services like Spotify. However Beats 1 requires a subscription service, which many would not want to pay for a radio station, which is usually free.

Audience

1) Who is the target audience for Beats1 and Julia Adenuga in particular? Refer to demographics and psychographics.

Beats 1 target audience is a young audience who enjoy pop music as well as hiphop, rap or similar genres. It is mainly for the explorer psychographic. 

2) Why do people listen to Beats1? Which aspects of Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory relate to Beats 1 and its audience?

People listen to Beats 1 due to it's unique radio station style with their own DJs and laidback shows, Beats 1 also offers different types of music genres/tastes due to their different DJs. Beats 1 offers their audience personal identity to the younger DJs as well as personal relationships as the audience can build a connection with the DJs through interactions with the show. 

3) Can the audience actively interact with the Apple Beats 1 Radio or are they passive when listening? How? Give examples. 

Beats 1 allows their audience to interact with station when it's on air as well as online on social media due to Beats 1 having many social media platforms, like Twitter where it's audience can send tweets or hashtags in reaction to what the DJs might be saying on air. They can also submit music requests in the mixtape segment of the show. 

4) Is Apple Beats 1 aimed at a mass or niche audience? How does this differ to BBC Radio 1?

Apple Beats 1 was marketed as a globally interactive radio which anybody could enjoy, however their DJs are incredibly specialised, and it could be argued that the station is specialised and targeted at a niche audience of hiphop listeners. This is different to BBC Radio 1 which was a very mainstream radio station that played popular music for a mass audience.   

5) Do you think Apple Beats 1 radio will be popular with young audiences or are streaming services the future of audio-based media?

I believe Apple Beats 1 will not be extremely popular due to other cheaper streaming services like Spotify, but it will gain a large following and potentially create a threat to music-specific radio stations like Capital-FM. However, due to the open and personalised nature of streaming services radio is at risk of becoming outdated.