In commemoration of its 80th birthday, the BBC World Service broadcasted its daily morning editorial meeting live, for the first time on Wednesday. The 55-minute taping was narrated with all speakers being introduced, to better accomodate a public audience.

The BBC World Service also held a live event featuring William Orbit, producer of Madonna’s latest album, Trinidad-born and Nobel prize-winning writer V.S. Naipaul, and pianist Rosey Chan, who performed her own composition.

Listeners were encouraged to respond to the live event via Twitter:

Though the live BBC broadcast was a promotional effort, it is suggested to be indicative of a wider effort to better open up newsrooms to the public. In Ocbtober 2011, the Guardian established its open newslist, to where users can interact with editors and reporters as news stories are being complied. Likewise, the Atlantic Wire established Open Wire, which also allows user participation.

The new openness of certain news outlets may be a response to general public disdain for news gathering tactics that have been frowned upon as of late, like phone hacking.