1. MS1 Radio Practice Exam
2 hours and 30 mins
The extract is a promo advertising the BBC Radio Asian Network. BBC Asian Network is a British
radio station which broadcasts Asian music, news, entertainment, culture, debate and drama.
1.Analyse the opening sequence commenting on
• Spoken codes
• Sound codes (jingles and sound FX etc.)
As a promo for a radio station the sequence fulfils many expectations an audience we may have as
to how any station would market itself.The station itself targets what may be considered to be a
niche audience however the focus of the trailer is to make audiences aware of just how varied the
Asian Network’s schedule is.
A dominant technique used is by showcasing the various styles of certain flagship DJs and
presenters.The first is a young woman who is introduced over a series of clips the divide between
each is signified by the sound of a slight ring which cuts clips up consistently, which an audience will
become accustomed to fairly quickly.This first presenter is introduced by way of several clips
which introduce that her show tackles issues surrounding women’s roles and representations but
is also not entirely serious and is generally relaxed and fun.Throughout her trail there is laughter
from both the presenter and others in the studio gives the impression that the show is unscripted,
informal and fun - although some may see this as unprofessional for a radio presenter. It becomes
clear that she is taking calls and opinions from the public and it is not clear whether the assertion
of:“Asian women should not take part in beauty contests!” is her own belief or that of a caller.
Either way it may break some of the stereotypes that some audiences may have of women being
suppressed in expressing themselves.This bold opening connotes that the station may challenge
stereotyped beliefs albeit from those outside of the target audience.
Other presenters also sound young and irreverent as they discuss politics in a satirical way that
emphasises the youth feel to the station.This is also reinforced by the variety of different genres of
fast paced music that intersperse the spoken word sections.
Each of the presenters chosen have different regional accents that are associated with specific
regions of Britain, yet one presenter slips from English into an Asian dialect within the same
sentence.This connotes the acceptance of diversity that the station promotes and also reinforces
an ideology that this is not radio station that should be considered separate from British culture,
rather that it is one immersed in both British and Asian cultures.
One presenter announces to the audience:“We want to hear your views” presumably for a phone
in show conventional of radio stations, however this also signifies the pluralistic beliefs of the
station.As is the case with many radio stations, the audience should be just as much a contributor
as the presenters and producers.
This plurality is further emphasised by the jingle advertising the station.With more than six
different voices, male and female, each contributing to the station’s ident, giving information about
frequency and web address before all speaking in unison to give the name of the station, the
channel represents itself as diverse yet unified. Signifying that this is a station which holds the
ideology that there can be strength in difference if people work as a team.

2. These beliefs are certainly demonstrated by the choices of music played throughout the trailer, the
genres range from drum n bass to more traditional Asian Bhangra music.Whilst both these genres
may be considered to be associated with a niche audience, there is also a short clip where a DJ
announces Rhianna’s Umbrella song which was a massive commercial hit of 2008 and therefore
implies that the station also caters for more commercial and mainstream tastes.A point that is
further emphasised through a variety of other pop-cultural references such as ‘Bridget Jones’ and
‘James Bond’ the selection of which are often considered quintessentially English and therefore may
have been purposefully selected to prove the earlier point that the ethos of this station is one of
British and Asian cultures mixing rather than clashing.
As a station that may exist as part of the BBC’s public service broadcasting remit to provide
Information, Education, Entertainment to all that it serves, it will always be obvious that a promo
like this will be read differently by its targeted niche audience compared to a mainstream mass
audience. However, the promo does seek to demonstrate that not only is the station itself diverse
and grounded in both British and Asian cultures but it also challenges the idea that the audience is
as niche as some may suspect - in fact it gives a good account at just how broad and varied the
British Asian audience is.