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This newsletter is written by Ceri Thomas, Editor of the Today programme:
There's evolution in the air...
What better way to begin as editor of Today than with an apology? Two apologies, in fact (it's all good practice): I'm sorry that we haven't sent a newsletter for several weeks; and I regret to say that we won't be sending any more for a short while to come. It's probably a good idea if I explain why…
It’s not an attempt to pull down the shutters on the bunker at Television Centre, I’m just taking a breather and looking at the various things the website does. While I do that I’ll stop writing the newsletter, temporarily at least, and concentrate on asking what features of the existing site are most popular, and what new ideas might be welcomed. If you’ve got any specific feedback or thoughts for the future I’ll be delighted to take them into account – just go to the contact page on our website and use the email form.
The approach to the website is in tune with my general thinking about the programme. I’ve been editor for all of six weeks now, and the inescapable conclusion of these early days is roughly what I expected before I took over: that listeners in the main are loyal and appreciative, so there’s no case to be made for overnight revolution on the programme. At the same time, every single listener (you included, I’m sure) would change something. And maybe this is where the website comes in. Is it the place where we can have an informed discussion about the boundaries of change on the programme- so that we don’t do things which come as an unpleasant shock to you, and you don’t get bored when a failure to evolve makes us predictable? It’s hard to think of a better forum.
If you’ve got views on how we could open that dialogue – a widely-accessible message board? A representative ‘panel’ of listeners? – I’d like to hear them, initially via e-mail as before. But, for the moment, I hope you’ll excuse me if I bury myself again in audience research, immerse myself in every second of the programme, look back at the way we used to do things, and forward to how we might – and emerge with a wheelbarrow full of questions in a few weeks’ time.
Ceri
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