A diverse group of BBC Newsbeat listeners were brought together to discuss Andrew Tate as part of a special radio program.
The contentious influencer was recently accused in Romania of crimes such as rape and human trafficking.
Presenter of Newsbeat Pria Rai discusses with the audience how the debate came about and why it was crucial to have it.
Our radio newsroom was inundated with feedback when we first mentioned Andrew Tate's arrest six months ago.
And it always happens the same way when he is mentioned in broadcast news stories.
While some claim that the controversial influencer "speaks a lot of truth," others claim that his way of thinking is "terrifying.".
As a Newsbeat presenter, I read the messages that come in following each program.
I wanted to figure out a way to enable the discussion about him that was taking place off-air when I saw it.
People on both sides of the debate consistently expressed the sentiment that they couldn't discuss it openly or that the conversation always degenerated into toxicity.
It's inevitable that Andrew Tate's beliefs will divide people's opinions, but it's important that we listen to our audience. Our reflections and information are about their world.
So, after receiving texts from them, we called them back and had lengthy conversations with them about their feelings toward him.
You can tune into Newsbeat. Special program with Andrew Tate. with BBC Sounds.
And . For a peek behind the scenes, visit this page. look at how we facilitated the discussion.
We worked for several months to bring in people with different viewpoints to the Newsbeat studio and have a discussion about them while also keeping an eye on the development of Andrew Tate's case in Romania.
That allowed them to challenge one another during the recording process rather than me interfering constantly and stifling their voice, which is something the media is frequently criticized for doing.
A good illustration is when a remark was made regarding what Andrew Tate had said regarding rape victims.
As a journalist, it's in my nature to dispute claims like these, just as I would with any other.
But it was crucial for that response to come from another panelist, allowing it to be indicative of discussions taking place outside of our studio.
That doesn't mean we didn't participate at all; after all, it was my responsibility to moderate the discussion. However, we took a few moments to pause and discuss certain points in more detail.
This program is crucial, in my opinion, because when something or someone has a significant online following, their offline actions and attitudes are affected.
Examples of this were given to us. Declan's admission that listening to Andrew Tate helped him deal with his depression, Lucia feeling like she can't speak as loudly as a woman in her university classes, etc.
We also keep an eye on the data, which shows that nearly every time the BBC publishes an article about Andrew Tate, that story receives significantly more interest from people under the age of 35 than other stories.
These are the people who watch Newsbeat and want to learn more in-depth, thoughtful information about him.
We have a duty to be editorially sound and a duty of care - both of which were checked and checked again at each point in the process.
We don't need to have an opinion in a world full of them, but that doesn't mean we can't find authentic and in-control ways to hear them about contentious issues like Andrew Tate.
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