Codes and Conventions

Codes and Conventions of a radio trailer


• These are the codes and conventions of radio trailers:
• The title of the documentary is said
• They always include what channel the documentary is on
• Extracts from the programme are used
• There is a voice over which: may show the narrative or pose questions.
• There is always music
• The advert is always played on an appropriate radio channel; young teenager BBC programmes can be advertised on Radio 1

We analysed two different radio trailers, in order to recognise the different examples of codes and conventions used. This would then be able to give us an insight into the lay out of radio adverts, which in turn would give us an idea of how to set out our own radio advert.

We looked at the radio trailer about the appeal for help towards Madeline McCann. It included a variety of typical conventions such as the narrator broadcasting the time, channel and day it would be broadcasted. In the background there was a rhythmic beat which caused a serious tone to the trailer, in-keeping with the seriousness of the subject. At the end there was the ident, a memorable sound to distinguish its broadcaster.

The next chosen radio trailer to analyse was a documentary about the Queen. The use of rock music in the background was an unsusual sound to include and was un-asscociable with the connotations included with the Queen. The inclusion of voice clips of the Queen, made the trailer subject more recognisable. It also included voice clips of bush and the public, which gave a comparison and variety to the trailer. The trailer did use some conventions, however it did not use a narration; which can be seen as unusual.

We found that the trailer about Madeline McCann used a lot of conventional media codes, in order to keep the tone professional and serious; which is understandable due to the seriousness of the subject. They included recognisable radio conventions, such as the ident and a narrator. However, the Queen trailer was un-conventional. It did not use typical conventions, and tried to add irony to a subject that many find serious. The only conventions used, is that of an example of voice clips. The un-conventional exmaples, are that of rock music playing instead of classical music which could be seen as more fitting with the Queen.

These trailers helped us greatly, and we decided to try and include conventions as well as out inovetive ideas.