If taken out of context, this statement by the Director of the BBC World Service Group at the Asia Media Summit in Korea, could seem like heresy.
 
In context however, it explains the BBC’s evolution of news coverage in the face of the challenge of social media.
 
Francesca Unsworth’s remarks during the Media Summit’s CEO Round Table recognised the fact that a growing number of people now hear news first through social media, so the idea that traditional broadcast media can continue being the outlets that break news is becoming less viable.
 
“For twenty years we did breaking news, but now we see that by the time people get to listen or watch us, they already know what the news is,” said Unsworth.
 
The BBC is using its established position of trust and credibility to go beyond the glib headline that breaks the news on social media to take the position of explaining the news and putting it into context.
 
“We are not the home of breaking news anymore, but the more important thing now is to provide context and understanding for people from a trusted source. We are taking that role.”
 
It is a statement that will make other broadcasters sit up and take notice, not because it is heresy, but because it is a credible strategy in the fast changing news media world.
 
See other reports from the Asia Media Summit at www.asiaradiotoday.com.