Radio 2 is ‘turning into a hen party’ on air

DJ criticises BBC’s effort to lure working-class women away from commercial stations

RADIO 2 is luring “time-poor, tight for money” working-class mothers away from commercial stations with shows aimed at women in their 30s and early 40s replicating the “upbeat” music found on Heart and Magic.

But one of its veteran DJs says s the station now sounds like a “hen party”. arty”. A desire to attract this demographic c was behind the hiring of Rylan Clark-Neal, Neal, who hosts a Saturday show. He was identified as one of the most popular pular celebrities among “mood mums” – the name given to the target group by BBC executives. This weekend he is away and his stand-in is I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! finalist Vernon Kay.

BBC documents state: “Radio 2 has an increased focus on reaching younger 35-44s and specifically less well-off women aged 35-44.” Notes described these as “time-poor, family orientated, put children first and are tight for money”. From the C2DE economic class, they are “big listeners of commercial stations: Heart, Smooth, Magic”.

The shift started at the beginning g g of 2018 under James Purnell, then director of radio and architect of BBC Sounds. The BBC is trying to broaden the appeal of its radio and television to prove it is a universal public service. The most recent Ofcom report found that the working classes feel under-served by the corporation. Other presenters said to appeal to “mood mums” are Drivetime host Sara Cox; Fearne Cotton from Sounds of the 90s and Angela Scanlon, who hosts a 4am show but is set for a more prominent role.

The average age of a Radio 2 listener is 53 and a third of the audience is over 65, but the BBC is determined to lower these. Radio 2 axed three of its longestrunning shows with an older audience and older male presenters – Listen to the Band, The Organist Entertains and The Blues Show with Paul Jones – in early 2018. Their departure p did not have the desired effect.

In mid-2018, one executive wrote: “Reach among the thee R2 ‘mood mums’ unfortunately sees no uplift.” Shortly afterwards, Rylan was tried out as a presenter and offered his own show. Playlists have been revamped as a result of the new policy, with veteran presenters including Ken Bruce, Steve Wright and Paul Gambaccini required to play more songs from the Eighties and Nineties.

Pick of the Pops, hosted by Gambaccini, has changed. No chart from the Sixties has been featured since September. Analysis shows that there have been 24 chart rundowns from the Sixties since January 2019, compared to 86 from the Eighties and 44 from the Nineties. Under the policy, continued ntinued by new c controller oller Helen Thomas, Bill Kenwri Kenwrig Kenwright’s ght’s Golden Years and Clare Teal’s Swing and Big Band and Show have been ditched.

Bosses have also put out a call for podcast ideas, for shows to feature on BBC Sounds. One format will be “a female-fronted entertaining format for the 30-45 demographic balancing feelgood moments with unpacking difficult topics and sharing personal experiences”. The other will offer “hot takes on pop culture (music, TV, film, internet) that will drive conversation among 30-45s”. One long-serving presenter at the station said: “This all started with James Purnell. All the networks were ordered to aim younger. At Radio 2, this has meant playlist changes – the Sixties have pretty much disappeared, and most of the Seventies. The emphasis is on the Eighties upwards, and what they think will appeal to women.

“The results are most awkward for the more established presenters, whose shows no longer sound like their own.”