Archives for July 2011

Editor's note: Aled Haydn Jones produces Chris Moyles' breakfast show on Radio 1 and also presents the station's Sunday evening advice programme The Surgery, helping young people to understand and come to terms with everything from exam stress to depression and divorce since 1999. There's a special three-hour edition - on Radio 1 and 1Xtra - this Sunday - PM.

Of all the questions that we receive via phone and texts to The Surgery - the subject that our teen audience ask about the most is undoubtedly sex.

This could be because it's the subject our young teens want to talk about the most, or it could simply be the one subject they feel most embarrassed talking to their friends, teachers or parents about. But what is clear is that, when we offer them the opportunity to get straight-talking advice about any subject, they text in their thousands and call in their hundreds to ask questions about the ins-and-outs (no pun intended!) of sex.

We get all sorts of questions - how to do it, what to do; their fears about getting it wrong and worries about their bodies ("should it look like that"? "should I be thinner/taller?"). And, importantly, they are asking questions about the consequences of sex such as "what's an STI?" "Do I have it?" And "how do I cope with being a parent?"

On The Surgery we often touch on these subjects during the show but we rarely, if ever, have the opportunity to go into a complete A-Z of Sex and the issues around it. We think that ensuring that we address every myth our audience has, discounting every fear and addressing every question that they otherwise do not feel confident to seek answers for is really important. And it's for that reason that BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra are devoting an entire Sunday evening to the subject.

The night kicks off at 7pm, preparing our younger listeners with an hour of songs that are about getting people in the mood and ends with an hour-long documentary examining the use of sex in music at 11pm.

The centrepiece of the evening is a special 3 hour-long Surgery show, live with a young studio audience who will help discuss the topic and provide opinions about some of the subjects that will come up.

We will have some celebrities dropping in to share their thoughts on the matter, as well as sex and relationship experts and the usual Surgery doctors to ensure the advice and support we give is as helpful and informed as possible.

But of course, the main ingredient for the show and the people who will decide what we talk about will be our listeners. Whether they are already sexually active or not, it's their questions we receive through calls and texts that will set the agenda. It will be a interesting night, and many will undoubtedly cringe at the thought of having such an open and frank discussion but for every occasional embarrassed listener there'll be a handful of teenagers who will be that little bit more informed - and at the end of the day whatever your thoughts are on the UK's youth sex rates - having as many of our listeners as informed as possible can only help.

Take a listen, because believe me, you'll be surprised how much you'll learn on the subject. I still pick up new insights and I've been hosting The Surgery for 3 years!

Aled Haydn Jones presents The Surgery

• Sex Night is on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra on Sunday 31st July, 7pm-12am
• Picture by shawdm. Some rights reserved.

Bollywood Stars: BBC Asian Network's Tommy Sandhu with Bipasha Basu at IIFA

The BBC Trust is currently reviewing BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra. The period for public submissions closed recently and the Trust promises to publish its finding in "due course".

In the meantime, several trade papers are reporting on what the trade body for commercial radio, the Radiocentre, called 5 Live's "identity crisis" in their submission.

Broadcast wrote:

'Commercial radio trade body Radiocentre has accused BBC Radio 5 Live of "suffering from an identity crisis and confusion over its purpose" and called for it to stop branding itself as an entertainment station.'

Radio consultant and ex-5 Live executive Bill Rogers wrote on his blog:

'The Centre's current target is the Richard Bacon show, for doing too much "celebrity and entertainment news". I suspect the authors of this report are only recent listeners to the station, and may be quite young. It's always been there. Hark back to The Magazine, with Diana Madill. Remember Eddie Mair's jousts with Cliff Richard...'

You can download the Radiocentre's submission via Bill Roger's blog post.

You have until Sunday to catch the BBC Asian Network's coverage of the International Indian Film Academy Awards in Toronto on the BBC's Red Button digital TV services. You can also catch photos and videos on the Asian Network website now and extended video footage from this Monday. Maestro Cam and Soloist Cam also return to the Red Button for this season's Proms. More details of both items and other Red Button services here.

On the About the BBC blog the head of Audiences has written a post Measuring quality and reach at the BBC announcing the quarterly publication of audience figures related to, wait for it, quality and reach across all platforms including radio. The first report, covering January to March 2011, makes for happy reading for UK radio executives:

'Overall radio listening remains strong, not just for the BBC but for the wider radio industry. The most recent data release from RAJAR (...) relating to Q1 2011 shows radio to be in better health than ever before with 91.6 per cent of the adult population listening to a UK radio station every week (47m). 68 per cent of UK adults 15+ (35 million) consume at least 15 minutes of BBC Radio in an average week (the highest figure on record) and listeners spend over 16 and a half hours on average per week listening to BBC Radio.'

Read the rest of Measuring quality and reach at the BBC and download the report on the About the BBC blog.

Paul Murphy is the Editor of the Radio blog

After 13 years I'm setting down the Controllership of BBC Radio 1 (and 1Xtra and The Asian Network and BBC Popular Music). I've clearly believed passionately in really sticking at a strategy for the long-term, based on the understanding that real change only happens with sustained effort over long periods - but 13 years (a record period at the helm in Radio 1's 44 year history) is enough for any one leader!

Having said that, leaving has been a long thought out and tough decision to make but I walk away immensely proud to have held this position and knowing I'm leaving with all three stations in great shape - with their listening figures at record highs.

In Radio 1's case we've come a long long way from staring at a declining reach of 9.5 million - now we've a buoyant 11.5 plus million, with nearly half the UK's 15-24s listening every week - as importantly we've a station set up for success in a mobile/visual web world.

I also leave Radio 1 better "understood' as a BBC service with clear public value aims for the young UK population, and that's not always been the case. I'm most proud of the teams I'm leaving behind, I've taken some of my greatest satisfaction of helping individuals develop and fulfill their potential.

Our stations are full of focused, open minded, optimistic and creative people that are not only a credit to the BBC, but also I hope an inspiration to the BBC of a flexible, multi-skilled modern workforce - I include all our DJs and presenters in this of course - it's one big (appropriately sized - I should say) happy family - "As One" as our marketing strap-line goes.

Looking to the future, I am about to embark on the next chapter of my life with a feeling of great excitement at what lies ahead. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am fascinated by the way organisations work (or don't work) and delivering practical change for the better. I'm also inspired by the idea of making audiences (or customers) truly the central creative focus of activity - it's much harder than it sounds, but many of the embedded "ways of life" at Radio 1 are based on these principles.

With this in mind, I'm going to work part-time for BBC Radio, focussing on leadership development and I am taking on a part-time advisory role with Comic Relief - working with Chief Executive Kevin Cahill and his very able team of Directors on their next goals - and will be looking to broaden my experience and use my skills in other businesses and organisations outside of the BBC.

But I care passionately for the BBC and its values, and in particular how they are expressed through its awesome set of national radio services, I've been involved with them all in one capacity or another across my long radio career - and over the next years or so I hope to make a final and lasting contribution to their long term health.

If you are reading this as one of the many many people who've served the mighty Radio 1; the sharp and cool 1Xtra and the passionate people at the Asian Network over the years - I'd like to say a heart felt thank you - all audiences need to get something they love and value from the BBC - the young people of the UK are no exception - so thank you again for serving them.

Andy Parfitt is Controller Radio 1, 1Xtra, Popular Music and Asian Network

• Read the press release Andy Parfitt leaves Radio 1 after 13 years as Controller