Professor Jean Seaton, Professor of Media History at the University of Westminster and the Official Historian of the BBC, was quoted in an article published by The Guardian about her view on the BBC’s plans to axe its national radio reporters.
In the article, Professor Seaton talked about the importance of audio content. She said: “Radio is not the same as TV. And in the future we know that more audio content, whether radio or podcasting, is exactly what people say they want.”
Professor Seaton also spoke about how she believed that reporters are more important on the radio than on TV. She added: “We recognise the voices and it is more personal. There is an intimacy to listening to the radio, which we all recognise and which is important to the future of the BBC in a world where it must compete with social media, a medium which is all about the appearance of intimacy. Radio offers that with a professional capacity. Why would you drop something so important? Radio is your companion. It is by your side, while TV is just ‘over there’.”
Read the full article on The Guardian’s website.
