Lord Hall backs in-depth 'slow news' as part of bid to make BBC 'irresistible'

The BBC is to take a "slow news" approach to storytelling in an attempt to offer audiences more in-depth analysis, the broadcaster's director-general Lord Hall has said.

In a speech to be made to staff on Wednesday, Lord Hall will challenge the organisation's news teams that it is more important than ever to help audiences "understand what's happening in the world today".

Lord Hall will say: "We're up there with the best in the world at telling people what's happening right now, and being where they come to find out what's really going on.

"But I want us to do much more to help our audiences understand what's happening in the world today."

He is expected to announce that, alongside "fast" breaking news, the BBC will put a stronger emphasis on "slow news" - meaning a deeper focus on topics and issues impacting people.

Lord Hall will also challenge the iPlayer to become the number one online television service in the UK by 2020 and will call on the BBC to "reinvent public broadcasting for a new generation".

He is expected to say: "I want a BBC that is irresistible to all our audiences.

"In a world of near-limitless choice, I want people to carry on choosing us.

"I want us to have shown that public service broadcasting has even more to offer Britain and the world in the next century - even more than it has done in its first hundred years. That excites me.

"Reinventing the BBC for a new generation is where I will be pouring all my energies. I want to ask each of you to do the same."