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BBC Radio 1 will broadcast a monthly gaming show
Slowly but surely, BBC Radio 1 has expanded beyond radio and into social and video. It now has its own iPlayer video channel, for instance, which hosts original shows, Live Lounge recordings and interviews with musicians and celebrities. MCV reports that for its next trick, Radio 1 has commissioned a new gaming show, titled The Radio 1 Gaming Show, which will launch in March be hosted by games presenter and YouTuber Julia Hardy.
BBC Radio 1's new show is designed specifically for iPlayer
Now more than ever, Brits are discovering new music through streaming apps such as Spotify, Rdio and Apple Music. Specifically, listeners are tuning in to playlists that are themed around artists or music genres they're already interested in. The BBC seems to have recognised this and is doing something similar with a new, downloadable "Playlist" show on Radio 1. From January the programme will air every Thursday from 9 to 10pm, but more importantly, it'll also be available to download in the iPlayer Radio app. The show will rotate every week, covering different themes and moods, like "Ellie Goulding's Running Mix" and "Annie Mac's Ibiza Classics." The BBC already offers some show downloads in the iPlayer Radio app, so this idea isn't entirely new. The difference, however, is that the broadcaster seems to be thinking iPlayer-first, rather than radio-first now. It could be an early glimpse at the new, playlist-centric music service that the BBC has in the works.
BBC's Newsbeat app is its first aimed solely at young adults
BBC Radio 1 is struggling to keep young listeners tuned in. The station's audience has shrunk to its smallest size in over a decade, but the BBC believes it has a strategy: expanding Radio 1 beyond traditional broadcasting. That means embracing YouTube, iPlayer and now, bite-sized mobile apps. The BBC is breaking out Newsbeat into a standalone app for iOS and Android, repackaging many of the stories it currently runs on the web. The design consists of three feeds -- Latest, Popular and Topics -- and individual news reports are shown as cards with large, bold photos. The BBC says it's aiming the app at 16- to 24-year-olds and will be focused on entertainment news, interviews and social trends. While it's true that millennials spend a lot of time on their phones, the broadcaster could have a tough time drawing their attention away from apps like Snapchat.