Digital Planet

Digital Planet (previously known as Click and originally Go Digital) is a radio programme broadcast on the BBC World Service presented by Gareth Mitchell. Alternating as contributors are Bill Thompson, Ghislaine Boddington and Angelica Mari, who comment on items in the programme and discuss them with Mitchell. The show, broadcast weekly, covers technology stories and news from around the world.[1]

Digital Planet
Other namesClick, Go Digital
GenreTechnology
Running time18 minutes
Country of origin United Kingdom
Language(s)English
Home stationBBC World Service
Hosted byGareth Mitchell
Bill Thompson
Ghislaine Boddington
Angelica Mari
Produced byCathy Edwards
Colin Grant
Ania Lichtarowicz
Recording studioBroadcasting House
Original release2001 (as Go Digital) – present
WebsiteWebsite
PodcastPodcast

History

From 2001 to 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 the TV programme Click, which is broadcast on BBC News and BBC World News. The show's running time was reduced from 28 minutes to 18 minutes. In the episode aired 1 May 2019, the show announced that it had renamed itself back to Digital Planet.

Show format and topics

Digital Planet covers a wide range of issues affecting technology. The first broadcast each week is also live (at 20:30 UK time on a Tuesday evening), whereas previously it was recorded.[2] The show is now around 27 minutes long. Often there are segments on technological solutions to problems facing charitable or humanitarian causes, with a speaker representing the cause being interviewed by 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:

Usually views sent either by e-mail, Facebook, Twitter or using the BBC News website are read out and discussed briefly by the hosts.

A special pre- and post show session for podcast listeners is produced 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 Thompson engaging with the Hangout on Air. The presenters were interviewed for the Project Kazimierz Podcast in 2015.

Since 2016, the "Digital Planet Listeners" Facebook group has a running theme hashtagged #FlatDarkStanleyNet in which Gareth Mitchell's copy of Jamie Bartlett's The Dark Net containing a bookmark of Mitchell is passed around among listeners. It is based on the Flat Stanley Project.

References
  1. Click Home , "BBC IPlayer", October 28, 2017, accessed October 28, 2017.
  2. Titherington, Steve , "BBC News", March 29, 2011, accessed April 2, 2011.
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