The BBC Asian Network, the Search for Younger Digital Listeners

This chapter examines a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) digital radio service that specifically caters to the U.K.'s British Asian population, the BBC Asian Network. In Britain, the term “British Asian” refers to people who have descended from countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, who are estimated to be approximately 4 million and form the largest minority group in Britain across generations. The chapter chapter examines how social media are utilized to engage a young minority ethnic audience and argues that the BBC ought to revaluate and negotiate their identity with British Asians in order to increase engagement with the station. It argues that there is a disconnect between the staff and the core working-class audience. A number of the BBC interviewees explained during the interviews that within the BBC itself, the BBC Asian Network is considered to be ahead in terms of social media usage. However, the staff did acknowledge that there are some problems.