Journo

“It's the power of the story. It's the same thing, whether it's drum and bass, or much more serious news. If you tell stories that people want to hear the end of, they are much, much more likely to consume your work, whatever it is."

Ros Atkins’ relentless experimentation with finding an audience means his stories aren’t just devoured by the news cycle. His team at the BBC produce a particular type of viral video, one that starts a conversation and has staying power.

On his show BBC Outside Source, Ros seems to have perfected the art of the explainer — reports that work just as well on digital platforms as they do on TV.

In this episode of Journo, Nick Bryant sits down with Ros, the man they call the BBC’s ‘Explainer-in-Chief', to understand the precision that goes into making his explainers must-watch content.

“I wasn't just doing what was right. I was doing what was journalistically correct.”

Veteran sports reporter Jim Trotter was doing a live cross for ESPN when the host began describing American footballer Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand during the national anthem as “disrespectful to the flag”. Jim had a choice — to let the host’s opinions go unchecked or to report the facts.

As sports arenas more frequently become platforms for cultural debate, reporters like Jim have expanded their old beats from player drafts and starting positions to include athlete activism and political commentary.

From the taking the knee to boycotting the Olympics, it’s become increasingly common for off-field controversies and cultural shifts to make their way onto those hallowed grounds.

But as the clubs and codes grow richer, while many media outlets become poorer, is there now a power imbalance that’s impacting our coverage?