It was odd to hear Robert Harris criticising the 主播大秀’s books coverage at the Costa Book Awards last night - an event that was being covered live on 主播大秀 television after a week in which Costa short-listed authors had been featured on 主播大秀 News Channel's '' strand. And there has been extensive coverage of the Costa Book Awards on 主播大秀 Radio 4’s over the last month too.
Books and authors are at the heart of the 主播大秀's output and we use the full range of our services to take books and authors to the widest possible audience.
Not only do we give extensive media support to major literary prizes and schemes like Man Booker, Samuel Johnson and Costa, we run our own schemes to support authors like the and The Radio 2 Breakfast Show’s short story writing competition, (over 118,000 children applied last year). In fact, later this week we are announcing the judging panel of both the 主播大秀 National Short Story Award and the brand new 主播大秀 Young Writers' Award with - a major commitment to nurturing new talent.
One week in January: A month's worth of book-related programming at the 主播大秀.
Books are also a central part of arts output across 主播大秀 television. 主播大秀 News Channel has a regular strand in both Razia Iqbal's '' and indeed Nick Higham's 'Meet the Author' which goes out each week. Newsnight extensively covered the Man Booker Prize this year and 主播大秀 Four supports the Samuel Johnson Prize.
But, I believe television is at its best with single documentaries and series that take you deeper into a subject. on 主播大秀 One does several book-themed documentaries a year - most recently profiling Colm Toibin and Philip Roth. Other recent highlights include Andrew Marr's '', Simon Armitage's '', (all 主播大秀 Two), on 主播大秀 Four an Arena film on and a six-part series with the Open University called The Secret Life of Books (also on 主播大秀 Four), each one presented by a leading author, which is now in pre-production for a second series. The One Show has a regular feature called ‘Britain by the Book’ which brings some of our best loved books to millions of viewers. And for younger viewers, the are a great way of getting children interested in books at an early age.
Books and authors are also at the heart of many of our best loved Radio strands: , , , , and on 主播大秀 Radio 4 are guaranteed to keep you up to date on the best new publications as well as much loved classics. 主播大秀 Radio 3 has regular strands with, and , as well as many book-related single documentaries like Colm Toibin's insightful and moving programme on Thom Gunn earlier this month. has emerged as one of the most significant supporters of the book trade. The reach of the World Service's Book Club is vast. Authors are also at the heart of Start the Week, Saturday Review and Free Thinking.
We're particularly interested in how we achieve impact and win new audiences for books by joining up the 主播大秀's services. Last year, we launched a major partnership with the , Radio and online, including a special live broadcast on the One Show. In the first year, our coverage reached 20 million people in the UK and approx.70 million people globally. No other broadcaster or organisation can, or even tries to, achieve that.
As is often the case, I think what really underpins negative comments about our coverage isn't whether the 主播大秀 does enough but that some people just don't know the full breadth of what we do. This is why has launched '', a new online service that brings together the best of our books output into one place, as well as digitising gems from the archive and commissioning new work.
Jonty Claypole is Director,