Page 105 - Culture Media Language Working Papers in Cultural Studies

94 ETHNOGRAPHY

Linda I listen to the radio. I put it on as soon as I get up.
Anne Six o’clock I get up (laughs), er, put on the radio full blast so that me
husband’ll get up…*

The constant reference to time during the programmes on Radio 1 also helps to
structure the time sequences of the work which women perform while they listen
to the radio. Programmes are self-definitional, as The Breakfast Show, Mid-
morning Programme, which includes Coffee Break at 11 a.m. At the time of the
study Tony Blackburn was running the morning show (9 a.m. -12 noon), in
which he had the ‘Tiny Tots’ spot at 11 a.m., during which a record was played
for children and Blackburn attempted to teach a nursery rhyme to the children
listening while the ‘mums’ had a coffee break. During David Hamilton’s
afternoon programme (2 p.m. -5 p.m.) the ‘Tea at Three’ spot is included, when
once more women are encouraged to ‘put their feet up’. The disc jockeys (DJs) use
points of reference within the expected daily routines of their listeners, and some
of these references are responded to by the women in the study. The programmes
which are listened to are Radio 1 and BRMB local radio, the former being the
more popular. Responses to questions about radio are always given in terms of
the disc jockey who introduces the programme, with the records referred to in a
secondary capacity.
Pat
P. I like Radio 1. Tony Blackburn. I think he’s corny but I think he’s good.
Dave Lee Travis I like and Noel Edmunds. Noel Edmunds, I think he’s
absolutely fantastic….
D. So do you prefer the radio?
P. During the day, yes.
D. Would you have the radio on while you were doing housework?
P. Oh yes, yes.
D. Why do you like the people you like?
P. Erm . . their personality—it comes over on the radio. Noel Edmunds, I
think he’s really fantastic, you know, the blunders he makes, you know, I
like (inaudible). I think he’s really lovely (laughs).
D. And do you do your housework at the same time?
P. Oh yes.
Anne
A. I listen to BRMB, you know, that’s quite a good programme. I like
listening to the people that phone in, erm . . I like the conversations.
D. Why do you think that is?
A. Er . . I suppose it’s ‘cos I’m on me own.
D. Is it the music as well that you like or….?

*This is an extract from Dorothy Hobson’s unpublished MA thesis, ‘A Study of Working-
Class Women at Home: Femininity, Domesticity and Maternity’.