Radio format

A radio format, programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming), or specialist station (British English) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when radio was compelled to develop new and exclusive ways to programming by competition with television. The formula has since spread as a reference for commercial radio programming worldwide. A radio format aims to reach a more or less specific audience according to a certain type of programming, which can be thematic or general, more informative or more musical, among other possibilities. Radio formats are often used as a marketing tool and are subject to frequent changes, including temporary changes called "stunting." Except for talk radio or sports radio formats, most programming formats are based on commercial music. However the term also includes the news, bulletins, DJ talk, jingles, commercials, competitions, traffic news, sports, weather and community announcements between the tracks.

A radio format, programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming), or specialist station (British English) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when radio was compelled to develop new and exclusive ways to programming by competition with television. The formula has since spread as a reference for commercial radio programming worldwide. A radio format aims to reach a more or less specific audience according to a certain type of programming, which can be thematic or general, more informative or more musical, among other possibilities. Radio formats are often used as a marketing tool and are subject to frequent changes, including temporary changes called "stunting." Except for talk radio or sports radio formats, most programming formats are based on commercial music. However the term also includes the news, bulletins, DJ talk, jingles, commercials, competitions, traffic news, sports, weather and community announcements between the tracks.

List of radio formats

List of radio formats

North America (United States and Canada)

Formats constantly evolve and each format can often be sub-divided into many specialty formats. Some of the following formats are available only regionally or through specialized venues such as satellite radio or Internet radio. Pop Contemporary hit radio (CHR), occasionally still informally known as top-40 / hot hits ) Adult contemporary music (AC) Rhythmic adult contemporary Rhythmic contemporary (Rhythmic Top 40) Rhythmic oldies Adult/variety hits – Broad variety of pop hits spanning multiple eras and formats; Jack FM, Bob FM. Classic hits and Oldies – Pop/Rock music that came between the 1950s and 2010s Hot adult contemporary (Hot AC) Modern adult contemporary (Modern AC) Soft adult contemporary (soft AC) Rock Active rock Adult album alternative (or just adult alternative) (AAA or Triple-A) Album rock / album-oriented rock (AOR) Alternative rock Classic alternative Classic rock Mainstream rock Modern rock Progressive rock Psychedelic rock Soft rock Country Americana Bluegrass Country music: Classic country (exclusively older-released music) New country/Young country/Hot country (top 40 country with some non-country pop and no older music) Mainstream country (top 40 country with some older-released music) Traditional country (mix of old and new-released music) Regional country formats: Cajun (Bayou), Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma Red Dirt, Gulf and Western (Florida), Newfoundland Urban Classic hip-hop Quiet storm (most often a "daypart" late night format at urban and urban AC stations, i.e. 7 p.m.–12 midnight) Urban: Urban contemporary (mostly rap, hip hop, soul, and contemporary R&B artists) Urban adult contemporary (Urban AC) – R&B (both released newer and older), soul and sometimes gospel music, without hip hop and rap Urban oldies (sometimes called "classic soul", "R&B oldies", or "old school") Soul music Dance/Electronic Dance (dance top-40) Space music Carolina beach music (regional in the Carolinas; mostly R&B and some pop-country with shuffle beat) Jazz/Blues/Standards Big band Blues Jazz Smooth jazz Traditional pop Easy Listening/New Age Adult standards / nostalgia (pre-rock) Beautiful music Easy listening Middle of the road (MOR) Folk Folk music Latin Spanish-language rhythmic Ranchera Regional Mexican (Banda, mariachi, norteño, etc.) Rock en Español Romántica (Spanish-language AC) Spanish-language sub-formats: Tejano music (Texas/Mexican music) Also see: Ranchera, Regional Mexican, Romántica, and Tropical Tropical (salsa, merengue, cumbia, etc.) Urbano (reggaetón, Latin rap, etc.) Multicultural Caribbean (reggae, soca, merengue, cumbia, salsa, etc.) Desi music Asian pop Japanese music (J-pop, J-rock, Anisong, city pop, etc.) Korean music (K-pop, K-rock, etc.) Traditional Philippine music Polka Tribal/Native World music Faith-based Christian music Contemporary Christian music (CCM) Christian adult contemporary Christian CHR Contemporary worship music Urban contemporary gospel Southern Gospel Traditional hymns (e.g. Bible Broadcasting Network, Fundamental Broadcasting Network) Classical Classical Contemporary classical music Seasonal/holiday/events Seasonal formats typically celebrate a particular holiday and thus, with the notable exception of Christmas music (which is usually played throughout Advent), stations going to a holiday-themed format usually only do so for a short time, typically a day or a weekend. Christmas music radio (usually seasonal, mainly late November into December) American patriotic music (short-term format, usually adopted around holidays such as Fourth of July and Memorial Day) In Canada, the equivalent of this is an all-CanCon format for Canada Day or Victoria Day Halloween music (usually only on or around 31 October) Irish folk music (usually only on or around 17 March to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day) Summer music (June to August in the Northern Hemisphere) Miscellanies Eclectic Freeform radio (DJ-selected) Spoken word formats All-news radio Children's Christian radio Campus radio Comedy radio Educational Ethnic/International Freeform/Experimental Full-service (talk and variety music) Old time radio Paranormal radio shows Radio audiobooks (see also radio reading service) Radio documentary Radio drama Radio soap operas Religious radio Sports (Sports talk) News/Talk Conservative talk radio Progressive talk radio Public talk radio Hot talk/shock jocks Weather radio

United Kingdom

Music-oriented The UK has several formats that often overlap with one another. The American terms for formats are not always used to describe British stations or fully set specified by RAJAR. Contemporary hit radio (CHR) / Top 40 - e.g. Capital, BBC Radio 1, Hits Radio Rhythmic contemporary (Rhythmic CHR) - e.g. Kiss, Capital Xtra Adult contemporary music (AC) – e.g. BBC Radio 2, Magic Hot adult contemporary (hot AC), middle ground between CHR and soft AC – e.g. Heart, Virgin Radio Modern adult contemporary (modern AC) with stronger leaning to rock – e.g. Absolute Radio Soft adult contemporary (soft AC) – e.g. Smooth Radio Urban/black adult contemporary with stronger leaning to urban and hip-hop – e.g. BBC Radio 1Xtra Oldies, which can range from the 1950s to the 2000s depending on the station – e.g. Gold, Greatest Hits Radio, Kisstory, Absolute 80s Alternative, sometimes confused with rock – e.g. Radio X, BBC Radio 6 Music Classical – e.g. Classic FM, BBC Radio 3 Asian, referring to content for British Asian communities (including Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, Afghan, Nepalese) – e.g. BBC Asian Network, Sunrise Radio Ethnic, referring to content for specific ethnic communities – e.g. London Greek Radio, Spectrum Radio Community, radio stations for localised communities which can be in various formats including ethnic Spoken-words News and talk – e.g. LBC, BBC Radio 5 Live, Times Radio Sports broadcasting and talk – e.g. BBC Radio 5 Live, Talksport News, talk, documentaries and drama – e.g. BBC Radio 4 Christian, broadcasts for Christian religious interests with occasional music – e.g. Premier Christian Radio

See also

Radio broadcasting Radio personality Television format Top 40

Notes

References

External links

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368087045 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.