10 Minute Questions

1) What is "Music Programming?"
Music programming is the planning of what is going to happen on the radio station before it happens, for example planning what artists are going to be played.

2) What is a station "Format?"
A station format is the type of music they play, for example Kerrang! plays Rock and metal music where as Radio One plays top 40 music.

3) Please give an example of two radio stations, the format and examples of two tracks?
 Heart - Hot Adult Contemporary - 'Can you feel it?'  The Jacksons
                                                    - 'It must be love' Madness

XFM - Indie/ Alternative              - 'Something good' Alt-J
                                                    - 'Runaways' Killers

4) What is an "ABC" playlist?"
An "ABC" playlist is when a radio station will set up a number playlists filled with music and mix the different tracks in order to create verity. The "A" list will be filled with the most popular songs at the time, the "B" list will have songs that were popular but are not as well liked anymore and finally the "C" list will have quite old songs or ones that aren't very well known.

5) Explain how the choice of music would affect profits of a commercial radio station?
Each radio station plays a certain genre of music in order to appeal to a certain audience. If a station such as Heart, who play Hot Adult Contemporary, played a heavy metal song like 'Pray for Plagues' by Bring Me the Horizon they would lose most of their listeners as that isn't the type of music they like. This in turn would stop advertisers from paying Heart radio money as there advertisement isn't being heard by anyone and so they aren't earning money. Eventually Heart radio would stop running as they would have no listeners.

6) Explain some techniques in music programming to keep the listener interested?
There are many techniques in music programing that are used to keep the listener interested. One Such technique is called 'Hamoking,' this is when the radio host plays one song that is widely popular from the A list and then a couple that were popular or aren't well known from the B and C list before playing another from the A list.
A good technique that the hosts use is called "Start bright, Finnish strong." This means to start the radio show with an up-beat or popular song to get the listener interested, then when the radio show is coming to an end it is often considered a good idea to play a classic song that everyone knows and loves.