Click (radio programme)
 | |
| Other names | Digital Planet, Go Digital |
|---|---|
| Genre | Technology |
| Running time | 18 minutes |
| Country of origin |
 United Kingdom |
| Language(s) | English |
| Home station | BBC World Service |
| TV adaptations | Click (TV programme) |
| Hosted by |
Gareth Mitchell Bill Thompson |
| Produced by | Cathy Edwards, Colin Grant |
| Recording studio | Broadcasting House |
| Original release | 2001 (as Go Digital) – present |
| Website |
Radio programme website TV programme website |
| Podcast | Podcast |
Click (previously known as Digital Planet and Go Digital) is a radio programme broadcast on the BBC World Service. A sister programme of the same name is broadcast on BBC News and BBC World News television.
The show is presented by Gareth Mitchell. Bill Thompson comments on items in the programme and discusses them with Gareth. The show, broadcast weekly, covers technology stories and news from around the world.
In Bill's absence, the role on commentor is taken by other including 'Ghislaine Boddington' and 'LJ Rich'
From 2001-2004, it was presented by Tracey Logan and during that time it was one of the BBC's few webcast programmes, with cameras providing a live feed.
The show was renamed Click on 29 March 2011 to make it easier to recognise its status as a sister programme of TV programme Click, which is broadcast on BBC News Channel and BBC World News. The show's running time was reduced from 28 minutes to 18 minutes. The first broadcast each week is also live, whereas previously it was recorded.[1] The show is now around 27 minutes long.
Show format and topics
Click covers a wide range of issues affecting technology. Often there are segments on technological solutions to problems facing charitable or humanitarian causes, with a speaker representing the cause being interviewed by Gareth Mitchell. One example is the segment on a screen saver which harnessed the power of idling home PCs to help perform complex mathematical calculations to help cure malaria.
Other topics covered have included:
- Modern plane technology
- problems with smartphone set up
- Blu-ray Disc vs. HD DVD
- The use of open source software around the world
Usually views sent either by e-mail, Facebook, Twitter or using the BBC News website are read out and discussed briefly by Gareth Mitchell and Bill Thompson.
The hosts Bill and Gareth have a special pre- and post show session for podcast listeners which cannot be heard by those listening to broadcast radio. The fan club's Prezzi created a special picture for the show, which was framed, delivered and discussed on line, and held a Google Hangout during the show where listeners discussed the show in real time, and engaged with the presenters - see Bill Thompson engaging with the Hangout on Air. Gareth and Bill were interviewed for the Project Kazimierz Podcast in 2015 here
Notes
- ↑ Titherington, Steve , "BBC News", March 29, 2011, accessed April 2, 2011.
