Author: Greg Jarboe / Source: Tubular Insights I had a seat in the front row of the BBC’s 2017 NewFronts presentation, and as expected, B
I had a seat in the front row of the BBC’s 2017 NewFronts presentation, and as expected, BBC.com talked about how news organizations like the BBC can play an integral role in combating fake news. But, one of its strategies and tactics was totally unexpected: The BBC calls it, “slow news.” Now, before anyone jumps to the wrong conclusion, the British Broadcasting Corporation is also focused on what it calls, “fast news.” With 2,000 journalists – and more than 250 correspondents in 50 foreign news bureau around the world – BBC News often breaks stories in places like Venezuela or Nigeria before other news organizations can fly in a reporter from the US. But, video marketers understand that concept.
However, Katty Kay, the anchor of BBC World News America, as well as her boss, Francesca Unsworth, the Director of the BBC World Service Group and Deputy Director of News and Current Affairs, discussed a very different concept that the BBC plans to use to combat fake news. Unsworth said:
“Alongside our continued breaking news coverage, there is going to be an increased focus on ‘slow news’ in the coming months. This means more in depth analysis of topics, putting events into context, as well as providing audiences with the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ behind the news headlines.”
Slow News = In Depth Analysis
Now, that’s a big idea. And according to research, two thirds of people who consume BBC News already say it helps them understand a story better. The BBC has also created an “expert network” with invited intellectual institutions and think tanks with exceptional expertise providing insight, analysis and research, and data journalism will become a core element of the BBC’s expertise in visual journalism.
And it isn’t something that internet trolls or hate groups will be able to match easily or cheaply. But, fake news is written and published with the intent to mislead in order to gain financially or politically, often with sensationalist, exaggerated, or patently false headlines that grab attention. So, fake news can still be created by “dark money” or be used for cyberwarfare by Russia. So,…
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