BBC’s College of Journalism has removed the paywall to its online website. Originally conceived as a project for internal training and development, the broadcasting corporation has now decided to share it’s expertise and techniques with the world at large. This freedom will not last forever, as the BBC has stated that it will leave the site free for international users for at least 12 months.
The website features a collection of stories and articles from veteran journalists advising those new to the field on what is expected of them. It not only covers writing, but also video production, online content, radio, and even what it takes to work on the software and technology side of the BBC. Of course, while this is referred to as the College of Journalism, the BBC also produces entertainment content like Dr Who and Sherlock; which means the site also has accounts from people who have worked on both shows.
International versions have also been released in 11 different languages that include Arabic, Chinese, Persian, Russian and Urdu. Four (French, Hindi, Indonesian and Turkish) more versions are being prepared for a future launch. The blog post says that this is “to help journalism and journalists in parts of the world where the media face different challenges to those we face in the UK.”
At the very least, it will provide everyone with an insight into what it is we do here in the media.
[Source: BBC]
