The visiting Director of the BBC World Service Peter Horrocks has said that the BBC World service plans to improve services to make sure reporting in Sierra Leone reflects accurately all aspects of life by presenting a proper picture about the country to the world which is an editorial priority of the BBC.
He made these remarks while addressing and also responding to questions from BBC listeners in Sierra Leone at the British Council Auditorium in Freetown.
The visiting director said that, he is in the country to out line his vision for the BBC in Sierra Leone and also listen to views, comments and criticisms of how the BBC is viewed around the world.
He also said that this is his first visit to Africa and he wishes to take home lessons about BBC in Africa, access to information through partner stations and relevant issues affecting women and all aspects of life which are of great interest to the BBC.
The Director noted that though radio is the most popular medium in Africa mobile phone communication has become even more popular and down loading on podcast is also another new development in the media landscape.
He assured the audience that the BBC plans to improve on services to make it more educative, entertaining and informative, adding that issues affecting women, children, Youth and the millennium Development Goals will form part of the major programs for the BBC.
He intimated that he was pleased with the level of development in Sierra Leone and hoped that the good relationship will continue as the listeners are enthusiastic and participatory, he clarified that the BBC does not report negatively about Africa, but listeners most times want to hear negative news that makes the good story.
He promised that BBC reporters in Sierra Leone will continue reporting on a wide range of issues including those that show Sierra Leone in a different light to the world to make people understand outside the country how things have changed in Sierra Leone. On the question of expanding relay stations across the country the director said the BBC is looking in to the cost of doing that saying “We would like more people to access information in Sierra Leone and also participate in our programmes, but we have to look at our list of priorities, it is one of the messages I will be taking back to London.”
Earlier Hassan Arouni gave a brief back ground about the Director and his present position, several questions were asked by media executives.