Radio Drama – Radio Sectors

There are 3 different sectors to radio:

Publicly Funded Radio
Radio broadcasters receive funding from license fees and public broadcasting are usually operated locally or nationally depending on the country and station. Its contents mainly involves news, sports, and traffic updates but also music. An example of a publicly funded radio station includes both local and international BBC radio stations, which was established in 1922. BBC Radio 1, covered in London, includes contemporary hit radio, news, entertainment, speech and showbiz. The target audience is mainly in the working class demographic and for the adults.

Commercial Radio

This is in contrast with public broadcasting as the radio stations are based on airing radio advertisements for profit but it is also operated locally or nationally. Although, they view fewer news and other updates than publicly funded radio stations, they focuses more on the contemporary music to aim at a certain target audience which are teenagers, mostly female and in the working class. This is more successful than any other type of broadcasting. An example of a commercial radio is 99.8 FM 2BZ, which is covered in several regional areas; Burnley, Pendle and Hyndburn. The content includes mostly pop music but also news, sport etc.

Community and Voluntary Radio

Started in 2002, these are radio stations that are run independently and for nonprofit. They mainly focuses on a certain target audience, serving communities a certain interest, which includes student radios, hospital radios and pirate radios. They usually tell their own stories and share experiences, or aware people democratically. An example of a community radio is 7 Waves Radio, which is covered in Leasowe, Wirral and Merseyside, and the content includes mostly news on that area covered and mostly on-air conversations.