Europe’s Euronews has signed a partnership with Congo Brazzaville’s Tele Congo to launch in Africa in 18 months time promising to bring to Africa its unique know-how as a multi-lingual and multi-cultural news channel, broadcasting around the clock in both English and French and Swahili.
Michael Peters, CEO of Euronews S.A., and Jean Obambi, Managing Director of Télé Congo on Saturday 25 January in Congo Brazzaville signed a cooperation agreement for the launch of of Africanews which will launch in the summer of 2015
Euronews, the top news channel in Europe produces 13 different language versions, around the clock and has over 400 journalists of 30 nationalities, and reach 400 million households in 155 countries.
According to Peters, “The company’s multinational shareholder base gives the channel the independence and the means to inform viewers without promoting any particular viewpoint. Its global success in terms of viewer numbers is proof of the channel’s professionalism and its ability to integrate diversity.”
He said the firm has the experience, reputation and the resources necessary to convey the message with respect of different cultures and values. The channel aims to give Africa its rightful place in the world of news and to give the world the latest news from the continent which is itself a news market, in the same way and at the same level as other regions of the world.
Euronews has been working with Stephen Smith, a recognized specialist on Africa and a former Africa Editor for two French daily newspapers Libération and Le Monde.
“The public television channel Télé Congo decided to join us in this adventure. Our teams will now begin the preliminary studies and organisational work to be ready to launch Africanews in 2015. We take great pride in announcing this emblematic cooperation project and we are eager to launch this new player on the world media scene,” he added.
Africanews will produce news content focused on Pan-African news, for its television channel and related products, both linear and non linear and will have a team of 40 professional journalists and technicians based in Brazzaville.
Starting with linear formats, offering TV broadcasts 24/7, live streaming of the channel on the internet, and then with live mobile applications and perhaps digital radio programmes. The non-linear formats will start right away on Africanews.com and then gradually move into specific mobile applications, following the latest trends in media consumption on the continent.
Africanews will be accessible to a large number of people on the continent thanks to rebroadcasts by local partners and operators, with the support and expertise of Euronews’ international teams.
