Institutions: Radio stations and production companies

A key part of the media as an industry are institutions. An institution is "an organization, establishment, foundation, society, or the like, devoted to the promotion of a particular cause or program, especially one of a public, educational, or charitable character".

In this case, the institution is the radio station that broadcasts or produces a radio play. Some radio plays are produced 'in-house' by the radio station themselves or by a production company.

Radio stations

There are only two stations in the UK that broadcast radio plays regularly: BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 4 Extra.

BBC Radio 4 first started broadcasting on 30th September 1967 and has 10.85 million weekly listeners. Radio 4 is largely a speech station, broadcasting news, current affairs and drama. It is most famous for The Archers.

BBC Radio 4 Extra, formally known as BBC Radio 7, is a spin-off station from BBC Radio 4 and broadcasts 'classic' radio dramas as well as new ones.

The role of radio stations is important. Most people tune into a radio station not knowing what to expect (the opposite of Television where people decide what they would like to watch from a schedule) and this represents its own challenges for radio drama because it is quite a 'niche' type of programme.

Audiences will also know what to expect from particular radio stations.

Production companies

Production companies often produce radio dramas and documentaries for radio stations. They may also produce jingles and manage talent as well. A radio station will put a programme out for tender with a budget, a production company will produce an idea, work out their costs and put in a bid, and the production company with the best bid will win the contract from the radio station.

One such production company is Wise Buddah, started by Mark Goodier in 1997. They have produced Weekend Wogan for BBC Radio 2, Nemone for BBC 6 Music and many documentaries. Another production company is USP Content who produce BBC Radio 5 Live's Formula 1 coverage.

The role of the production companies is an interesting one. They can help save costs and time for radio stations because otherwise radio stations have to find all the actors themselves. Production companies also bring new ideas and other ways of doing things into a programme.