BBC to launch TikTok-style news videos to capture younger viewers

BBC is to launch TikTok-style short-form news videos in an effort to win young audiences. In its annual plan published on Thursday, the corporation said it will develop more “short, easy-to-consume updates” as well as longer-form in-depth journalism. The video and audio clips will be distributed across the BBC’s news app and website as well as its iPlayer and Sounds streaming services. The push into short-form content, which mirrors the format of viral social media app TikTok, comes as the BBC tries to stem an exodus of young audiences to streaming rivals. The public service broadcaster already offers brief news updates aimed at younger listeners on its Sounds app, such as All the Latest Things, a three-minute update from Radio 1 presenter Greg James. BBC News has also built up a following of 3.2m on TikTok itself, where it publishes clips from traditional news bulletins. However, the plans suggest bosses want to create more tailor-made programming for a generation of viewers accustomed to bite-size content. The BBC said it was aiming to deliver a “compelling news offer for streaming audiences” by expanding beyond its traditional model of written stories. Bosses said they did not believe the changes would require regulatory...

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