Aled Haydn Jones, Head of Programmes for Radio 1 kicked off this session. He talked the audience through his excitement for Greg James’ new breakfast show and what it means for the station. He also expressed his optimism for UK radio in general, showing that UK radio reaches 84% of 15-24s.
Then came Greg James and one of the Assistant Producers at BBC Radio 1, Nichola Ntim, to talk about hoq they put the show together. At the heart of the programme, the team work around the themes of being relevant, current and having listeners at the core of what they do.
The production team’s creative process all begins in a WhatsApp group conversation, with germs of ideas being thrown in from any member of the team. This happens early in the day, before these ideas get turned into a fuller idea at the 5.30am production meeting.
Greg reiterated the importance of having listeners at the core of his show, referencing #PassThePasty, a feature where listeners drove a pasty from one end of the country to another.
After a demonstration of the show’s features, it was clear that their focus is on creative content, as opposed to promotions, music or celebrity content. Ntim and Greg could not emphasise enough that the listeners are the show. It is in almost everything they do. From helping listeners move house, to giving a BRITs ticket away. Greg said “Why would I have funnier stories than the 6 million people listening? So we focus on them”.
This was a change of pace to previous sessions in the main auditorium, looking at the process of creating great radio rather than focussing on the future of the medium itself.
