A vision of the future
This week I spoke to the director of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ World Service Peter Horrocks about the integration of correspondents into the English-speaking network, and his vision for the future in the light of ongoing financial cuts.
Jan Dryburgh from Norfolk, UK emailed in to stress her concerns about the cuts:
"I was upset to hear that the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳, is considering the end of World Radio. Surely, as everything is in place for transmission, it can't be a great saving? Even an English listener like myself, finds a great deal of interesting foreign information.. which may not reach our own media at all. The world is getting smaller all the time, and it is much easier to listen to the news, than it is to read about it. Must also be cheaper than television.
"Those are just the views of a UK listener... but with the growing number of English speakers around the world, and the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s great reputation, there can be no good reason for stopping now. This must be a great unifying influence on listeners everywhere. "
Peter Horrocks put the record straight by telling me: "The network is alive and kicking. We've made adjustments in the schedule and I hope listeners haven't thought there is deterioration in quality, or the range or vibrancy of content. We have lost some language stations, and are still in the midst of some very painful changes. But we are confident for the future."
Steve Muturi from Nairobi in Kenya emailed the programme about the use of correspondents on the network:
"While I understand that the World Service has to retain reporters and correspondents all over the world from their home regions. But sometimes I do wonder because some of them can hardly express themselves in English! How are they vetted, and are they given any English coaching? On the other hand, a few seem to think that putting on what they think is an English accent gives them an edge, such as one gentlemen in Kampala and one in Bujumbura. Unfortunately they sound very sad, as their accents keep popping up inconveniently. Surely, there must be some basic standard that can apply universally, without affecting the international sound and feel of the Service?"
Peter thinks there are "huge advantages for having people from a variety of backgrounds, including people who don't have English as their first language, because its output for the world from the world. But their English needs to be comprehensible. So for me it's not a question of accent but that reporters can be properly understood.
We want to employ a range of voices from a range of perspectives, which is one of the joys of the World Service."
Thanks for all your comments this week. As ever we'd like to hear your views regarding anything you hear on the World Service.
Rajan Datar is the presenter of Over To You.
Over To You is your chance to have your say about the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ World Service and its programmes. Broadcast times can be found by clicking here.
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