Editing Digital Planet

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox radio show
| show_name     = Digital Planet
| image         = The Logo Icon for Digital Planet programme podcast.jpg
| other_names   = Click, Go Digital 
| format        = Technology 
| runtime       = 18 minutes 
| country       = {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[United Kingdom]] 
| language      = [[English language|English]] 
| home_station  = [[BBC World Service]] 
| presenter     = [[Gareth Mitchell]]<br />[[Bill Thompson (technology writer)|Bill Thompson]] <br /> [[Ghislaine Boddington]]<br />Angelica Mari
| producer      = Julian Siddle <br /> Colin Grant <br /> Ania Lichtarowicz
| creator       = Alfred Hermida <small>(co-creator)</small>
| rec_location  = [[Broadcasting House]]
| first_aired   = 28 August 2001 (as ''Go Digital'') 
| last_aired    = {{end date|2023|3|28|df=y}}
| website       = [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002w6r2 Website]
| podcast       = [https://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/digitalp Podcast]
}}
'''''Digital Planet''''' (previously known as '''''Click''''' and originally '''''Go Digital''''') was a [[Radio programming|radio programme]] broadcast on the [[BBC World Service]] presented by [[Gareth Mitchell]].  Alternating as contributors were [[Bill Thompson (technology writer)|Bill Thompson]], [[Ghislaine Boddington]] and Angelica Mari, who comment on items in the programme and discuss them with Mitchell. The show, broadcast weekly, covered  [[technology]] stories and news from around the world.<ref>Click Home [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002w6r2], "BBC IPlayer", October 28, 2017, accessed October 28, 2017.</ref>

== History ==
From 2001 to 2005, 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. Regular guest presenter Gareth Mitchell, who had been with the show since 2001, took over as presenter full time on 11 January 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Go Digital - Review of the year - 2004 - BBC Sounds|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0397dt5|access-date=2021-09-05|website=www.bbc.co.uk|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Go Digital - Asian tsunami web aid - BBC Sounds|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0397dt4|access-date=2021-09-05|website=www.bbc.co.uk|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Originally named Go Digital, the show was renamed ''Digital Planet'' on 28 March 2006.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2006-03-27|title=BBC launches Digital Planet|language=en-GB|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4843062.stm|access-date=2021-09-05}}</ref> It was again renamed ''Click'' on 29 March 2011 to make it easier to recognise its status as a sister programme of the TV programme ''[[Click (TV programme)|Click]]'', which is broadcast on [[BBC News Channel|BBC News]] and [[BBC World News]].<ref name="Click">{{Cite web|title=BBC - The Editors: Click and Digital Planet merge|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2011/03/click_and_digital_planet_merge.html|access-date=2021-09-05|website=www.bbc.co.uk|language=en}}</ref> 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.''

== Closure ==
On the 29th September 2022, shortly after celebrating its 21st anniversary with a special as live broadcast from the BBC’s Radio Theatre in Old Broadcasting House in London, it was proposed ending the show as part of a restructure of programming as part of the wider ‘Proposals for a digital-first World Service’.<ref>{{cite web |title=Just so everyone knows, BBC World Service is proposing to stop broadcasting Digital Planet next April. |url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/4287320286/posts/10166483469835287/ |website=Facebook |access-date=30 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC World Service outlines move to digital-first service |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/bbc-world-service-outlines-move-to-digital-first-service |website=www.bbc.co.uk |access-date=30 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

At the end of the show [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p002w6r2?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile broadcast on Tuesday 21st March 2023] it was announced by the host Gareth Mitchell that the following week's episode would be the last ever edition.

After the end of ''Digital Planet'', in April 2023, Mitchell and Thompson returned with a new technology podcast, ''The Gareth and BillCast''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Gareth and BillCast |url=http://garethandbillcast.com/ |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=garethandbillcast.com |language=en}}</ref>

At the end of October 2023, Ania Lichtarowicz, one of the producers of Digital Planet, released the first episode of a new weekly global technology podcast starring Gareth Mitchell along with new presenters and previous presenters: ''[https://somewhereonearth.co/ Somewhere on Earth Podcast]'' <ref>{{Cite web |title=Somewhere on Earth |url=https://somewhereonearth.co/ |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=somewhereonearth.co |language=en}}</ref>

== 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 before the 2011 changes, it was recorded.<ref name="Click"/> 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 [[Personal computer|PC]]s to help perform complex [[mathematical]] [[calculations]] to help [[cure]] [[malaria]].

Other topics covered have included: 
* Modern [[aeroplane|plane]] [[technology]]
* problems with [[smartphone]] set up
* [[Blu-ray Disc]] vs. [[HD DVD]]
* The use of [[Open-source software|open source]] software around the world

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.

From 2016 to 2023, the [https://www.facebook.com/groups/4287320286 "Digital Planet Listeners" Facebook group] had a running theme hashtagged #FlatDarkStanleyNet in which [[Gareth Mitchell]]'s copy of [[Jamie Bartlett (journalist)|Jamie Bartlett]]'s ''[[The Dark Net]]'' containing a bookmark (made by the illustrator Justine Rykiel) of Mitchell in his familiar checked shirt was passed around among listeners. It was based on the [http://www.flatstanleyproject.com Flat Stanley Project]. The bookmark and the book went around the world and were eventually returned to Mitchell.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{BBC programme}}
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002w6r2/episodes/downloads Digital Planet Podcast]
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/4287320286 Digital Planet listener's group on Facebook]

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[[Category:BBC World Service programmes]]
[[Category:BBC news radio programmes]]