From drum and bass to hard news at a viral pace — How Ros Atkins became the voice of reason in global news

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.

Journo is a production of Deadset Studios. This episode was made with support from the Judith Neilson Institute.

Host: Nick Bryant
Executive Producer: Rachel Fountain
Producers: Grace Pashley and Britta Jorgensen
Sound Design: Krissy Miltiadou
Managing Editor: Kellie Riordan
Commissioning Editor: Andrea Ho

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