Stories wanted for BBC News mission We Are Stoke-on-Trent
The next location for the BBC’s pioneering newsgathering project is Stoke-on-Trent. We Are Stoke-on-Trent will put the city in sharp focus for a week of dedicated news broadcasts across the BBC. A pop-up BBC newsroom will operate live from the city centre from Monday 23 to Friday 27 September.
Published: 15 July 2019
Putting audiences at the heart of our journalism is a priority for BBC News and I’m delighted that we are taking our successful ‘We Are’ pop-up newsroom to Stoke-on-Trent
The BBC is calling on people from Stoke-on-Trent to put their home city and the stories that matter to them at the top of the national news agenda. A panel of Stoke-on-Trent residents are invited to join BBC News Editorial Director Kamal Ahmed and BBC Midlands Today presenter Beccy Wood to help choose which stories will be covered.
The items featured in We Are Stoke-on-Trent will reflect all aspects of the city’s life from the talent and the history, to the issues that make up daily life for local people.
National and regional outlets will broadcast from Stoke-on-Trent throughout the week covering stories from the city including: BBC Breakfast, BBC News Channel, BBC Asian Network, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Radio 4’s Beyond Today podcast, BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat, BBC News at Six, BBC News at Ten as well as the city’s regular local news services from BBC Midlands Today and BBC Radio Stoke.
In the newsroom, people can meet BBC reporters and share their stories about the city, which could then be featured on air and online. There will also be an opportunity for people to have a go at presenting the weather and experience future technologies in the BBC Blue Room.
We Are Bradford and We Are Middlesbrough have already taken place with great success. Stoke-on-Trent is a natural choice to shine the spotlight on next with lots of regeneration projects popping up against a back-drop of rich history as the world-famous spot for pottery production.
Andrew Bowman, Editor of BBC Radio Stoke, says: “The City has really come together after bidding to be the UK City of Culture 2021 - there’s a new, creative energy in the Potteries. We are going to grab this chance to show the nation the breadth of talent, history and issues we have in this part of the Midlands. Stoke-on-Trent is packed with stories - the city is as creative as it is hard-working and absolutely full of fascinating characters.”
Kamal Ahmed, BBC News Editorial Director, says: “Putting audiences at the heart of our journalism is a priority for BBC News and I’m delighted that we are taking our successful 'We Are' pop-up newsroom to Stoke-on-Trent. We’ll be asking people in the city to tell us what really matters to them and telling their stories in their own voices on the BBC.
"Some of our most popular programmes will be coming from Stoke-on-Trent during the week and we’ll be working with our colleagues in the region to ensure an ongoing commitment beyond the 'We Are' week. This is not about making a difference for a week, it is about making it long term.”
For more info about We Are Stoke-on-Trent follow #BBCWeAreStokeOnTrent on social media. Suggestions for stories that should be covered as part of We Are Stoke-on-Trent should be sent via wearestokeontrent@bbc.co.uk
JM5
