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Technology and the BBC
科技和BBC
Mashing it up
融为一体
Technology is changing the way radio operates
科技正在改变电台运营方式
WHEN Radio 1, a BBC music station, launched in the late 1960s teenagers flocked to it. Its presenters, many of whom had previously worked in pirate radio, were brash and it played pop music. Despite fears that radio would be wiped out by television and then by the internet, the medium has proved remarkably resilient. But it is changing its shape to keep up with a younger audience. On November 10th the station launched a channel on iPlayer, the BBC's video-on-demand site. The move was heralded as an “historic moment” by Ben Cooper, the controller of Radio 1.
当BBC音乐电台第一频道于20世纪60年代末正式开播时，收听的青少年们蜂拥而至。该频道的主持人中有许多人都曾在地下电台里工作过，他们自以为是，播放着流行音乐。尽管有种种担忧电台将被电视然后是网络挤出市场，但这种媒介被证明是非常具有适应性的。然而为了迎合年轻听众的口味，电台正在改头换面。11月19号，该电台在BBC的在线点播网站iPlayer上创建了一个频道。这一举动被第一频道的负责人本·库珀誉为“历史性的一刻”。
Between 2008 and 2013 the share of people listening to radio in Britain increased slightly—although the average time spent listening to it has dropped among all of those under 65. But among younger people it is proving far less popular. Since 2008 the amount of time spent listening to the radio by those aged 15- to 24-years-old fell by 13%.
2008年到2013年间，英国收听电台广播的听众份额仅小幅度上涨—尽管在65岁以下人群中，平均收听时间减少了。但在年轻人中，它却没那么受欢迎。自2008年以来，15岁到24岁人群收听广播的时间减少了13%。
Fewer children grow up with radios in their bedrooms, while social media are chipping away at the time youngsters might spend tuning in, says Simon Terrington, a media analyst. Sites such as Facebook also provide an alternative to the “community” feel of listening to live radio, he adds. And streaming services, such as Spotify, are increasingly popular. As a result the radio accounts for less than a quarter of the time 15 to 24-year-olds spend actively listening to things; but streaming or listening to music accounts for nearly two-thirds of their time.
媒体分析师西蒙·特灵顿说，现在越来越少的孩子房间里会有收音机，取而代之社交媒体正在逐步占据孩子们听收音机的时间。他还补充说，像脸书这样的网站也提供了另一种途径，来营造如同收听现场广播的“社区”感。像声破天（Spotify）这样的流媒体服务越来越风靡。其结果就是15至24岁群体收听电台广播的时间不到他们主动收听时间的四分之一，与之相对，流媒体或听音乐占用了他们约三分之二的时间。
Stations are responding to this changing market by boosting online services and apps. Commercial stations such as Capital and Kiss FM have pages on YouTube and television channels. But the publicly funded BBC is particularly keen to keep younger audiences hooked. Last year the BBC launched its Playlister service, which can also be accessed outside Britain. This helps listeners find music that has been played on radio or television and listen to it on third-party apps, including Spotify. In October more playlists from DJs were also added to it.
电台正以提供在线服务和应用程序的方式来应对这不断变化的市场。像Capital和Kiss FM这样的商业电台已经在Youtube和电视频道上有了主页。但公共电台BBC尤为急切想要留住年轻听众。去年BBC推出了播放列表服务（Playlist Service），即使在英国之外的地区也可以使用。这使得听众可以搜索到在电台、电视上播放过的歌曲，并在包括Spotify的第三方应用程序上收听。十月份，更多来自DJ们的歌单被添加到了播放列表。
“We're trying to create a new music experience,” says Mark Friend, the head of digital radio at the BBC. This requires a radio station to be present on lots of different media, such as YouTube, and to be actively engaging listeners through social media. More content—through archive material, or online-only videos—will be “mashed up” with live shows. Radio 1 already sponsors several live music events. Rather than being just a radio station, it has become a brand.
BBC数字电台的主席马克·弗兰德说:”我们正在尝试创造一种新的音乐体验。”这需要电台在很多不同的媒介上露面，比如说Youtube，而且还要通过社交媒体积极吸引听众。通过历史材料或在线视频获取的更多内容将和现场直播“混搭”。第一频道已经赞助了几次现场音乐节。它不再只是一个电台，而是一个品牌。
Other stations will also have to adapt. “Radio 4 cannot afford to be just a linear playout any more either,” says Mr Friend (referring to Radio 1's more cerebral cousin). This is an opportunity for the BBC to try to gain new audiences. But it also poses a problem. As it becomes more and more like its rivals, its distinctiveness becomes weaker—as may the argument to keep pumping it with public money.
其他的电台也需要适应。“第四频道也不能仅进行线性播出了。”弗兰德说（他指的是第一频道更为严肃正式的兄弟台）。这是BBC获取新听众的机会。但这也带来了问题。当它变得越来越像自己的对手时，自己的独到之处就被削弱了—就像关于是否还应该为它提供公共资金的争论一样。译者：王颖 校对：张娣
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