BBC World Service and BBC Connected Studio are today holding a hackathon event in Nairobi, Kenya, in order to generate and develop ideas that will help the World Service connect with digital audiences across Africa.
Disrupt Africa reported last month on the Nairobi hackathon – which will be based around social platforms, specifically the use of chat apps, to reach young audiences. Winning innovative ideas will be eligible for a funded pilot of up to GBP25,000 (US$38,000).
Connected Studio works with digital agencies, startups, designers and developers – including BBC staff – to deliver innovation, aiming to add new functions, features or formats across the BBC’s online services to improve audience experience.
“We are excited to be holding this hackathon in Kenya where our audiences have been increasingly using mobile devices to get to digital content, including news,” said Dmitry Shishkin, BBC World Service group digital development editor.
“We are looking forward to this forum of tech talent from around the world, hoping that it will deliver amazing and practical solutions that will make the BBC’s news content attractive to our young, digitally savvy African audiences. Engaging and partnering with local tech companies is part of the BBC’s long-term commitment to serving African audiences.”
