Ah, the old Brazilian steak bake.
Writing for Newsjack (aka 7 on 7) Page 20
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Andy Hamilton, Guy Jenkin (Outnumbered, Drop The Dead Donkey), Pete Sinclair (Lead Balloon), Stuart Silver (Lee Evans's writer), Lynne Truss (Eats Shoots And Leaves), John O'Farrell (Things Can Only Get Better), Mark Burton (Madagascar, Curse of the Were-Rabbit), Simon Blackwell & Tony Roche (Thick Of It) - just a few names off the top of my head of writers who began, and continued for many years, writing for radio. (And some still are).
And while we're on the subject, here's a few people who started out as producers at the same time as those people were starting out as writers: Jimmy Mulville (Head of Hat Trick), Phil Clark (Head of Objective), Armando Ianucci (Producer Thick Of It), Gareth Edwards (Mitchell & Webb), Jane Berthoud (Help, now head of Radio Comedy), Anil Gupta (The Office) Caroline Leddy (was Channel 4 Head of Comedy until recently).
Don't knock those radio credits guys. Just keep trying to get more of them.
Dave Cohen
Who is the BBC Radio demographic? If there is such a thing. Just that, outside of this website, I don't know a single person who listens to radio comedy.
But how many *people* do you actually know? Really?
Dan
It's mostly people in their 30s and up. Jane Berthoud made this very clear to us in our presentation, don't write too many jokes about youth culture/pop culture.
I started listening to it regularly (on a particular drive home from work) when I was about 28. The following day I went straight out and bought a pipe and some slippers.
I believe a really popular show (say ISIHAC) on R4 pulls in about 2m listeners, on a par with Peep Show for example. BBC7 on the other hand, the last BARB radio listenership survey I saw, they had to give it 0% because the listener figures were too low to statistically represent.
Quote: Griff @ May 14 2009, 11:57 AM BSTIt's mostly people in their 30s and up.
Cheers, Griff. I had a feeling it was probably that age range.
Although I have been listening to radio comedy since I was a youth. Although it was easier then as you had people like Armando and Lee & Herring doing amazing things on Radio One.
And radio sketch writing ... I think it's amazing. Really helps me focus and makes my longer projects better. I think I'm a better comedian than I would be had I just sat writing sitcoms over and over again.
And the small credits help keep me going. I probably would have quit long ago had it not been the minor bits of recognition I get along the way for one-liners and quickies.
Quote: thefridaylink @ May 14 2009, 12:35 PM BSTAlthough it was easier then as you had people like Armando and Lee & Herring doing amazing things on Radio One.
I was just wondering whether a sketch show for the 18-30 market could work on Radio 1 now. Or do us youngsters just want music on our radio nowadays?
You call that music?
Maybe. Do Adam & Joe count? I'm sure they might have a young demographic. Actually... they probably have a bunch of people in their early 30s.
I have no idea. I don't actually listen to radio anymore. Seems archaic when you have the magic of podcasts and the internet. DJs are for the most part annoying and can be sidestepped.
Young people love comedy - just in a different medium. I reckon a youth sketch show distributed via a podcast would work quite well.
Quote: Ben @ May 14 2009, 12:38 PM BSTI was just wondering whether a sketch show for the 18-30 market could work on Radio 1 now. Or do us youngsters just want music on our radio nowadays?
The last sketch show I remember on Radio 1 was The milk Run. Which I had a sketch on. 
Just a pity it went out at one in the morning. 
Quote: chipolata @ May 14 2009, 1:01 PM BSTThe last sketch show I remember on Radio 1 was The milk Run. Which I had a sketch on.
Just a pity it went out at one in the morning.
That must have been udderly disappointing for you.
When was that show on? I don't remember hearing of it.
Quote: Ben @ May 14 2009, 1:10 PM BSTThat must have been udderly disappointing for you.
When was that show on? I don't remember hearing of it.
Four or five years ago? Back when I had a future.
Quote: Griff @ May 14 2009, 11:57 AM BSTIt's mostly people in their 30s and up. Jane Berthoud made this very clear to us in our presentation, don't write too many jokes about youth culture/pop culture.
I think she was only talking about Radio 4. She said that their target 'replenishment audience' (i.e. the ones they are targetting to replace their core audience who are dying off) is 30-54. i.e. their core audience are 54+.
I guess the other stations probably have different demographics but I would also guess that the comedy audience on Radio 4 might not represent the audience for the rest of their shows. Certainly when you go to recordings, most people there seem to be in their 30s.
I see Miles Jupp - Archie from Balamory - is going to be the host of Newsjack.