An impatient audience with Amanda Powell

Amanda Powell, Editor for Wales, BBC NEWS Online, today gave her lecture, “Behind the scenes at www.bbc.co.uk/news”. Still with me? Possibly not: according to Powell, the average UK user spends just 49 seconds per page, and little more than 3 minutes on the website in total. How can journalists convince such an impatient audience to read their stories?

Powell’s answer to this pertinent question followed the now-familiar mantra of clear and concise, accurate and precise writing, coupled with visually attractive layout. Some things are worth repeating. It’s probably never a bad thing to be reminded of the key skills and attributes required in your chosen profession. And I’m certainly not under the illusion that I always achieve everything Powell mentioned. But despite all that, I felt this part of the lecture was lightweight and gave the questioning minds of us wannabe journalists little to chew on.

The second part of Powell’s lecture dug a little deeper. How should journalists react, faced head-on with the rise of citizen journalism? How does a media organisation like the BBC monitor and verify the quality, validity and legality of user-generated content? If anyone armed with a keyboard and a blank screen can be a journalist, is there a future for professional journalists?

To this final question, Powell answers yes. This came as a bit of a relief for someone who has just shelled out five thousand pounds to learn how to become one.