The BBC has announced a new interactive news service for Alexa enabled speakers which will allow listeners to access in-depth reports and archive material, as well as the latest bulletins.
Using voice prompts, listeners will be able to skip through bulletins to listen to the stories they’re most interested in. In addition, they’ll be able to access any full speeches referred to in bulletins.
Mukul Devichand, executive editor, BBC Voice and AI, said: “Smart speakers give us the chance to reimagine what radio would be like if it were invented today, free from its technical limitations.
“By making the news interactive on smart speakers, listeners can jump to the stories they need to hear just before rushing out of the house, or, when they have more time, they can delve into a piece and find out more.
“Delivering the trusted content people expect from the BBC, this new form of audio news comes at an important moment. It will help people navigate through one of the most dramatic news cycles in recent times.”
Andy Webb, Head of Product, BBC Voice and AI, says: “A world of opportunities open up once you connect a speaker to the internet and make it interactive.
“We’re taking advantage of that by combining our world-class content makers and engineers, exploring how this exciting new medium could look and how we can better serve our audiences now and in future.”
The interactive news feature is now available on Amazon Alexa-enabled devices and the BBC says it’s looking to introduce it on other platforms “in the future”.