the archers

• The Archers

  Long-running radio soap opera aired on BBC Radio 4
• The Archers

  • Over 5 million listeners
  • Considered a significant part of British popular culture
  • Longest running radio soap opera in the world
  • Follows residents of fictional farming community of Ambridge
• Historical context of The Archers

  1. Originally established in 1951 to educate farmers

  2. Used by Ministry of Agriculture to communicate information to farmers
• Social and cultural context of The Archers

  • Happens in real time, portraying events on date of broadcast
  • Includes topical subjects and real-life events
• Public service broadcasting

  Funded by public money, either directly from government or licence fee
• Commercial broadcasting

  Funded by sale of advertising slots
• BBC radio is funded by licence fee
• BBC's public service remit

  To educate, inform and entertain
• Production process for The Archers

  1. Biannual planning meetings

  2. Monthly script meetings

  3. Recording every 4 weeks

  4. Actors employed for 6 days to record 24 episodes

  5. Episodes broadcast 3-6 weeks after recording
• Actors not held on retainers, have careers in other media
• Ofcom


  Government-approved regulatory authority for broadcasting
• Ways for fans to engage with The Archers

  1. Radio slot

  2. Omnibus on Sunday

  3. Repeats on BBC Radio 4 Extra

  4. Podcast

  5. On demand through BBC iPlayer Radio

  6. Website

  7. Social media
• The Archers brand

  • Most listened to BBC programme online
  • Important for BBC to keep show fresh by introducing new characters and plotlines
• The Archers has opened the gates to less talked about topics and issues in recent years
• Domestic abuse storyline of Rob and Helen

  Realistic portrayal has prompted audience donations to charity
• Historically, radio soap operas

  • Focused primarily on women's lives, particularly family relationships, domesticity and marriage
• The Archers audience

  • Listeners from different walks of life can engage with the show's multi-stranded narratives
  • Perceived as high quality soap opera for educated middle-classes
  • Mainly well-educated middle-class professionals, most middle aged and above, white women
• Until fairly recently, there was an unwritten rule that nothing too terrible would ever happen in The Archers


  The show has begun to mimic the excesses of TV soaps
• The move to more dramatic storylines has attracted new listeners
• The Archers' global online audience includes British people living abroad who use it to keep in touch with British life
• Uses and Gratifications theory

  Audience members listen for entertainment/diversion, to be informed/educated, for social interaction, and for personal identity