A masterclass in communication

This week has seen huge, transformational events in the UK, with a change of Prime Minister, the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the proclamation ceremony of King Charles III.

The BBC has been my go to throughout this momentous week. Anchoring the news almost throughout has been Huw Edwards, a veteran broadcaster who delivered a masterclass in communication as the announcement came that the Queen was seriously ill and then had died.

Pitch perfect, Edward’s professional, familiar tone and delivery provided reassurance as the gravity of the situation started to dawn for everyone, from MPs to the media and general public.

His sombre announcement about the Queen’s death, delivered slowly and clearly with pauses and repeated to ensure the message had been received, was absolute best practice in terms of news reading and public speaking.

With rolling live news, gravitas and stamina are crucial, and experienced broadcasters know the value of sharing their own emotion when the seriousness of the situation merits it. Huw’s personal sadness at the news, felt by viewers across the world, brought real humanity to the moment.

Watching the news organisations deliver rolling live broadcasts has also underlined the importance of crisis preparedness.

This Guardian post about what happens when the Queen dies sets out the huge logistics behind what happens when the Head of State passes away. The media have their own protocols which have been enacted this week.

The BBC is the world’s largest broadcast news organisation and this week it has shown why it is rightly regarded as the best in the world. It is trusted, exceptional, part of our social fabric and should be protected.