In the last few weeks, I have completed several listening diaries for a variety of factual radio programmes and news programmes. From this, I found that different radio stations who cater to different audiences will likely structure their programmes differently. For example, Radio 1's Newsbeat is fast paced and in line with the stations target audience of younger people. Radio 4 on the other hand, whose target audience is older people, have slower paced news bulletins with usually no music beds or jingles like Newsbeat.
The language used in Radio 4's programmes is more complex and formal than that of Radio 1, who needs to keep in touch with younger people, and although Radio 4 can still be friendly with the audience, Radio 1 is more relaxed and informal with the audience, and they often use colloquial terms to relate to the audience more.
Another difference, I found through the listening diaries, is that Radio 1 primarily plays music with little speech, and Radio 4, as well as other stations aimed at older people, plays less music and has more speech and factual programmes.
The factual programming on channels with different target audiences differ, too. For example, as Radio 1 and many commercial radio stations are music-based stations aimed at younger people, they do not often play factual programmes. Radio 4, on the other hand, plays many factual programmes such as "Book of the Week" and "The Bottom Line," which are both aimed at older audiences.
I found that in almost all speech packages have essentially the same elements to them. These are: presenter, reporter, interviewees, correspondents, experts, and vox pops. Usually, the package starts with the presenter introducing the topic, and then going to a reporter who will interview people, often experts, about the topic. There will then also be vox pops and more from the presenter. This is often repeated several times throughout the speech package, and the format is very similar within all genres.
