LO2: Distribution of radio in the UK [✓]

METHODS FOR DISTRIBUTION AND PLATFORMS FOR LISTENING

HOW TO LISTEN TO THE ARCHERS ON RADIO 4

RADIO
The Archers can be accessed by BBC Radio 4. This is the frequency 92-95FM and 103-105 or 198LW. It is broadcasted at 19:02 GMT on Sunday to Friday. The show is repeated at 14:02 the next day meaning that you can catch up with it on radio if you miss an episode. A lot of people listen to this show on radio as every car has a radio fitted into it, this is how most people access radio shows, fitting the drama's main purpose.

INTERNET
The Archers can be listened to online, the radio drama is broadcast simultaneously on radio and online. Each episode can be listened to on BBC Sounds. There is also a catch up section on The Archers page, here you can listen to the last months worth of episode to catch up on them. These are all organised by dates to make it easier for you to find the episode that you have missed.







PODCAST
The Archers can also be sent to your computer which allows the listener to download the episode and listen to it whenever as well as keep it. This means that you can play it from your mobile or device even if you are offline. This is useful for listeners as it means that they can listen on the go.




TELEVISION
Televisions have radio channels which allow viewers to listen to radio shows. BBC Radio 4 is one of the radio stations which you can access on the TV. To access it on Freeview it is on channel 704, Sky is 0104 and Virgin is channel 904. Accessing radio on your TV is something that is really useful in the current day as everyone has a TV in their house however they might not have a radio. This means that it allows all to be able to access BBC Radio 4.

THE BLACKBOX THEORY
This is a theory introduced by Harry Jenkins in 2008. Also known as technological convergence, a blackbox is a piece of technology which is in its essence a collaboration of different technologies merged together and put into one device. A smartphone is a perfect example of this as it is the combination of a phone as well as many other things such as a computer, GPS and alarm clock. This has allowed the modern day audience to access the internet on smartphone as well as meaning that cars now have radios in them so therefore people can now listen to radio with both of these things. This shows that by the way technology has developed, the way that radio is accessed has also changed.

From this, a wider audience of people can access radio, meaning that the appeal for different target audiences has changed. People can listen along to the radio whilst in the car or tune into the show their laptops. They can catch up on radio via their smartphone and save the shows to their phone through the different distribution platforms, to listen to whilst they are on the go. Technological convergence is something that has really helped shows such as "The Archers" as it means that if the listener has missed out on an episode, they can very easily catch up which is important when the show follows a plot.