Woman's hour

• Women's Hour


  A daily magazine program on BBC Radio 4 with presenters who chat about a range of different topics
• First episode of Women's Hour aired on BBC Light Program


  1946
• Women's Hour in the 1940s and 1950s


  • Content centered around things like cooking and cleaning, as that was expected of many women at the time
  • Had a male presenter, which was considered 'weird' for a women's program
• Women's Hour today


  • Broadcast daily at 10am, with an omnibus on Saturday afternoons at 4pm to allow people who missed it during the week to catch up
  • Content has diversified over time and now covers a wide range of issues that affect women
• BBC


  • A public service broadcaster funded by license fees, not adverts
  • Has a remit to inform, educate and entertain
• Women's Hour production


  • Relatively low cost to produce, mostly dialogue and can be distributed digitally
  • Has two presenters currently - Emma Barnett and Anita Rani
• The choice of presenters reflects the BBC's desire to embrace diversity and include more female and ethnic minority voices
• The content of Women's Hour also reflects the BBC's remit to embrace diversity, including people from different ethnicities, genders, sexualities and disabilities
• Women's Hour audience


  • Primarily women over the age of 55
  • The show offers interactive content online to engage this audience
• Not all audiences respond positively to Women's Hour, with some men feeling the show alienates them and some women feeling it still focuses too much on traditional women's activities
• Ofcom


  The regulatory board that governs radio in the UK, responsible for ensuring programs do not breach the communications code
• Radio listenership is declining, so the BBC is aware of the need to target a younger audience for Women's Hour to ensure future listeners
• What type of program is Women's Hour?

  A daily magazine program
• What time is Women's Hour broadcast daily?

  10 a.m.
• What is the purpose of the Saturday omnibus broadcast?

  To catch up on the week's content
• How does the timing of Women's Hour reflect societal changes since the 1940s?


  More women are working outside the home
• What is the current format of Women's Hour?

  Dialogue with presenters and guests
• Who are the current presenters of Women's Hour?

  Emma Barnett and Anita Rani
• How does the choice of presenters reflect diversity?

  Includes presenters from ethnic minority backgrounds
• What does the presence of two female presenters signify?

  Progress in attitudes towards women
• How does Women's Hour address the topic of taboo women's health issues?

  By discussing them openly and in detail
• What is the primary age demographic of Women's Hour listeners?

  Over the age of 55
• How does Women's Hour engage with its audience online?

  Through social media interactions
• What are some audience reactions to Women's Hour content?

  Variety of preferred and oppositional readings
• What regulatory body governs radio in the UK?

  Ofcom
• What does Ofcom ensure regarding radio programs?

  Compliance with the communications code
• Why is Women's Hour required to have family-friendly content?

  It airs at 10 a.m. on weekdays
• What was the purpose of creating Late Night Women's Hour?

  To discuss more adult content
• What are the key features of Women's Hour?


  • Daily magazine program on BBC Radio 4
  • Focus on women's issues and diverse topics
  • Two female presenters: Emma Barnett and Anita Rani
  • Engages with audiences through social media
  • Aims to inform, educate, and entertain
• Strengths?

  • Addresses taboo women's health issues
  • Reflects diverse perspectives and experiences
  • Engages older audiences through relatable content
• Weaknesses:

  • May alienate some male listeners
  • Focus on traditional women's activities
  • Audience complaints about specific content