BBC 6 minute English-Good News
Transcript of the podcast
Kaz: Hello I’m Kaz and this is 6 Minute English. With me today is Finn. Hello Finn
Finn: Hello Kaz
Kaz: So, what news Finn
Finn: Oh nothing new from me. Just the same old stuff, Kaz
Kaz: Oh well, you know the saying:no news is good news
Finn: That’s certainly true, Kaz
Kaz: It’s also relevant to today’s programme
Finn: How so
Kaz: Well, have you ever wondered why there’s so little good news around
Finn: You’re right, Kaz. It’s usually bad news that makes the headlines: wars, scandals, murders, financial troubles, disasters
Kaz: OK, so on the subject of bad news, let me try this quiz question on you. According to the BBC, three of the top ten most followed stories of 2012 were about the weather in the UK. But what kind of weather, though
Was it a) snow storms, b) flooding or c) heat waves
Finn: Mmm. I don’t think it could be heat waves because we’ve had a pretty awful summer. I’ll try a) snow storms
Kaz: Is that your final answer Finn
Finn: Yup. ‘Snow storms’ is my final answer
Kaz: OK. We’ll find out if you’re right at the end of the programme. But now, let’s hear from designer Wayne Hemingway. Now, he was invited into the BBC newsroom and his message to broadcasters was that they should look for more good news, rather than the disasters and grim events that lead most news stories. What kind of stories would he like to get more exposure
Wayne Hemingway
Perhaps it’s time to reflect a little bit about why the main news channels seem to help us concentrate on bad news stories and the seedier side of life. What bothers me is that on the whole, stories that could move mankind forward and positively impact on our lives don’t get the exposure they deserve
Kaz: Finn, what kind of stories would designer Wayne Hemingway like to see getting more exposure
Finn: Now he says that stories that deserve more exposure are ones about moving mankind forward and positively impacting on our lives – in short, stories about improving our lives
Kaz: Yes, stories that move mankind forward
Finn: That sounds quite grand Kaz – almost idealistic. I wonder what kind of stories do that
Kaz: Well, let’s find out. Here’s Wayne again, talking about just that. What two stories does he mention
Wayne Hemingway
In Japan scientists managed to create eggs from mice stem cells raising the hope of a cure for human infertility. The US Journal, Science, said it was one of the most important breakthroughs of the year but you’ve probably never heard of it. And in Israel, Izhar Gafni has developed a bicycle from recycled cardboard, which could bring cheap, clean transport to some of the world’s poorest and most polluted and congested cities
Kaz: So what are the two good news stories he mentions
Finn: The first is a breakthrough, a significant development, in stem cell research that might lead to a cure for human infertility
Kaz: OK and the second
Finn: A story about a bicycle made from recycled cardboard
Kaz: Yes, it’s a neat idea
Finn: He says these cardboard bicycles could bring cheap, clean transport to some of the world’s poorest, most polluted and congested cities
Kaz: Wayne Hemingway is passionate about getting his message across to broadcasters. He thinks that if we are constantly fed a diet of bad news, it’s what we’ll end up wanting. What word does he use to describe this situation
Wayne Hemingway
It’s like saying that tabloids sell more than broadsheets. If that’s fed to the people all of the time that’s what they want but, you know, surely we’ve got to look at things that make us happy sometimes rather than think ‘Oh I’m glad I’m inside in the warmth’, or you know ‘I’m glad I’m not in that country, I’d hate to be there’. It all seems to be a little bit crass at the moment and to me it seems to be getting worse
Kaz: Did you catch that word he used Finn to describe our appetite for bad news
Finn: It was ‘crass’. He said the situation was ‘a little bit crass’ at the moment – ‘crass’ – showing no intelligence or sensitivity
Kaz: And it’s a situation that he thinks is getting worse
Finn: So what can we do about it
Kaz: Let’s find out. Here’s Wayne Hemingway again
Wayne Hemingway
If you search the internet for good news stories there are various websites that address this but they don’t do it justice. Perhaps we need fewer crime and more design correspondents, more science reporters and fewer war reporters and that way we might just encourage people to go out and achieve more and put a smile rather than a grimace on the face of the people at the bus stop
Kaz: Finn, what do we need to redress this situation
Finn: He says that perhaps we need fewer crime correspondents and more design correspondents
Kaz: OK, as a designer himself that makes sense
Finn: Yes, but don’t forget that design is an important contributor to the British economy – so more of those stories would improve things
Kaz: OK. And what else
Finn: More science reporters and fewer war reporters
Kaz: Yes, he says that this would encourage people to go out and achieve more
Finn: He says it would put a smile on people’s faces, rather than a grimace
Kaz: Well, that’s all we have time for today. But before we go though, the answer to this week’s question. According to the BBC, three of the top ten most followed stories of 2012 were about the weather in the UK. What kind of weather was covered
Was it a) snow storms, b) flooding or c) heat waves? Now Finn, you said
Finn: Well, I said a) snow storms because of the snowy weather we’ve been having recently. Was I right
Kaz: I’m afraid not, Finn. The correct answer was … b) flooding. Thanks very much Finn, goodbye
Finn: Goodbye