Conventions Of Local Radio

Pauses, Slang and Catchphrases

Pauses, slang and catchphrases tend to be used on less known radio stations (local), for words such as "ennit" and "sick". They also tend to be used on more Hip/Hop and RnB radio stations. For example when i did my research into local radio stations, i looked at Radio 1xtra, they used words such as "epic" and "sick". Pauses dont seem to occur too often as it is important to keep the flow of rado going and to have no "dead air". When i listened to Heart FM, the quality of Standard English and pronunciation was of alot higher quality compared to the Hip/Hop RnB staion of Radio 1 Extra.  Finally most radio stations tend to have their own types of catchphrases, and the wording will be different depending on what kind of. For example when i listened to Radio 1, catchphrases that they tended to use were such as "you are listening to radio 1".


DJ Talking About The Song Being/ Been Played

DJ's explain what song is being played, when abouts it was released (recently, old or if its a remix of such), normally what there own personal opinion is of the song and who the song is by. They will try and lour the audience into downloading / buying the song. They may also go over other records that the artist has done, or even give quick example of some of them. If the DJ has the artist in the studio with them, they will discuss the song together.


DJ Talks To Himself

The DJ may talk about there own lives and what they have got upto over the weekend as an example. But generally they will talk about their listeners lives, or who has rang, texted or even tweeted in (public affairs). The main time that they will speak about their own lives will be on a monday morning, about what they did over the weekend.



DJ Talks To The Listener, Or About The Listener

In pretty much every local radio station, they will talk to the listener, the audience has the chance to text, call or even tweet into the radio station so that they can have their point put out onto the air time, they can also have the chance to have a song they want played.


DJ Says What's Coming Up

The DJ will about 90% of the time tell you what is coming up later on in the show, it will keep the listeners interesting and hopfully keep the number of listeners up, as of course each radio wants to try and have the highest number of listeners. Things that they will keep you are coming up are those such as; songs, special quests that may be appearing or even a question that they may ask the public.


DJ Digresses To Another Subject

Dj's will try and change the subject constantly, its what the listeners like to hear as nobody likes to hear the same subject go on and on about for an hour. They will go on about music and the artists, and they may then link that onto a celebrity that reminds them of that song. Keeping a constant flow.


DJ Promotes Another Show 

This does not very commenly happen, as that would be giving away potential and already there listeners. But things that they do, are promote other Dj's that will be coming up on the station later on in the day. For example radio one will always try and promote their live lounge sessions with exciting artists appearing.


Vox-Pop

This is when the radio station want to know peoples point of views. They tend to go out in local towns and ask people on the street what they think aboout a daily question that may be going on at the radio station, or even something that has hit the news for example the royal wedding. Bigger station will go out onto the streets, but smaller ones will just get the listeners to phone in


Outside Broadcast

Again this is when the station will go outside, they may be interviewing someone that cannot make it to the studio but they still want to get that important catch. For instance the weather is sometimes recorded outside. Bigger radio stations will do these aswell.