One radio station website - CapitalFM.com

The homepage for the Capital FM website is a very information-packed one. The page is long, and there are many advertisements and interactive links scattered over the page, all in full motion. This then reflects on the radio station’s modern take on London life, as they make full use of the advantages the internet provides. Also, the particularly high level of interactivity could be a way for the station to compensate for the unavoidable lack of visual stimulation that comes with listening to the radio. News reports occupy the majority of the page, with each main story in its own boxed off section which gives them individual importance. Accompanied by a small, related, thumbnail picture, the boxes are only large enough to contain a short summary of the available expansion which can be accessed by clicking on the image.
The advertisements help build up the institutional identity of Capital FM, showing it is a major name, and thus has sponsorship from other big companies. There are also competitions available to enter, with the prizes always very desirable to the target audience e.g. an iPod, or a mobile phone. Many companies tend to use the free giveaways as another chance to advertise their brand, and in this instance the iPod is customised with the Capital FM logo. The site also has the personalised option of listening to a radio show of choice through the site – merging new technology with their existing equipment.
Due to the sheer amount of content packed onto the page, there are many necessary different sections of each set of links. The main categories placed at the top of the page are as follows:
- Home
- DJs and shows
- Listen
- Pics
- Music
- Film
- Events
- VIP
- News
- Charity
- FAQs

These are then expanded when hovered over by the mouse, helping to keep the page neat despite the large number of links featured.
The language used on the page is a clear indication of the target audience for Capital FM. Words and phrases such as “pics”, “check out” and “the gang” litter the headlines and summaries alongside exclamation marks, giving the whole institute a younger, trendy feel.

Key concepts:
- Interactivity
- Proliferation
- Non-linear
- Convergence
- Vertical integration