RFE/RL declared “undesirable organisation” by Russian government

RFE/RL declared “undesirable organisation” by Russian government

RFE/RL declared “undesirable organisation” by Russian government

The Russian government has designated Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty an “undesirable organisation,” according to a registry maintained by the country’s Justice Ministry.

The label effectively bans RFE/RL from working in Russia and exposes anyone who cooperates with the outlet to potential prosecution.

RFE/RL President Stephen Capus said the move shows that Moscow considers independent reporting to be “an existential threat.”

 

The move comes just days after the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Image: Adobe Stock

 

France 24 launches on Freeview UK

France 24 launches on Freeview UK

France 24 launches on Freeview UK

France 24, the renowned international news channel launched on Freeview UK channel 266. This strategic expansion allows Freeview users across the UK to access France 24’s diverse and comprehensive coverage of global news, culture, and current affairs in French, English, Spanish and Arabic languages. 

Freeview viewers can now enjoy France 24’s high-quality journalism, bringing a unique perspective on international events directly to their screens. With this launch, France 24 aims to further strengthen its presence in the UK market and provide Freeview audiences with a broader spectrum of global news content.

“We are excited to bring France 24 to Freeview users in the UK, offering a valuable addition to the UK news landscape,” said Tanya Kronfli, managing director of Global Distribution Services and France 24 distribution partner, “This expansion reflects our commitment to delivering engaging and diverse news coverage to the UK audiences using cutting-edge technology”.

“We are delighted that France 24 has joined the Freeview line-up. To have all 4 language feeds available on a single channel, on such a widely available platform, is great news and we are confident that UK viewers will appreciate our offer, whether in English, French, Spanish or Arabic.” said Serge Schick, Director of International Development and Commercial Resources. 

France 24 is known for its 24/7 news programming, featuring in-depth analysis, interviews, and reports from correspondents around the globe. The channel covers a wide range of topics, including politics, business, culture, and sports, catering to a diverse and international audience.

The launch of France 24 on Freeview utilises the cutting-edge FAST SSAI & CDN, compatible with modern HbbTV-based TVs as well as older Freeview devices. This ensures maximum accessibility across the Freeview network.

OUTtv Proud heads to Freeview UK

OUTtv Proud heads to Freeview UK

OUTtv Proud heads to Freeview UK

OUTtv, the leading LGBTQ+ television and streaming service, in partnership with Fuse Media, the leader in inclusive content, has secured a deal with Channelbox to distribute OUTtv Proud, its international FAST channel, in the UK via Freeview.

Following the recent deal with Netgem in 2023 which saw OUTtv Proud launch in the UK and Ireland, OUTtv is further expanding the reach of its FAST channel which features over 400 hours of content including OUTtv originals Call Me Mother, Hot Haus, and For The Love of DILFs. The service is available on Freeview UK, with audiences able to watch brand-new series via channel 271.

Brad Danks, CEO of OUTtv, said: “The UK is a primary market for us for both SVOD and FAST channel streaming and we had significant growth in 2023, but still have much more room to grow. This is why we are so excited about partnering with Channelbox to form part of Freeview’s extensive channel offer. They are an important leader in the UK FAST space and this launch enables us to extend our offering to reach more people who have yet to discover our diverse, fun and authentic LGBTQ+ programming made for and by the queer community.”

“OUTtv Proud has quickly become a destination for viewers around the world since its launch last year because of its truly robust offering of quality storytelling,” said Patrick Courtney, Head of Streaming & Business Development. “We’re happy that even more of the UK’s LGBTQ+ viewers and their allies will be able to access and enjoy OUTtv Proud on Freeview UK.”

Tanya Kronfli, Head of Content and Business Development for Channelbox, said “We are thrilled to launch the first LGBTQ channel on Freeview UK. OUTtv Proud is a fantastic  addition to the diverse Channelbox lineup”

The OUTtv Proud channel, created by OUTtv and Fuse Media, features LGBTQ+-targeted original programming as well as library content from OUTtv’s original series, documentaries, films and specials. 

France Médias Monde kicks off the road to the European elections 2024

France Médias Monde kicks off the road to the European elections 2024

France Médias Monde kicks off the road to the European elections 2024

Special programmes aire on RFI, France 24, MCD and ENTR

In the run-up to the European elections, and as Belgium takes over the rotating presidency of the European Council, RFI, France 24, MCD and ENTR are launching a major editorial programme to give more space to European issues, institutions, and the daily lives of Europeans, against a complicated geopolitical backdrop of war on the Union’s borders. Entirely devoted to Europe throughout the year, and recognised for this work, the channels place Europe at the forefront of their on-air and digital coverage, debating with those who are building Europe in Brussels and in Strasbourg. It will also be an opportunity to speak with those who live in Europe, through more than 30 hours of programming every week in some 20 languages. New programmes will be added in the run-up to the European election campaign and the vote, highlighting the expectations of Europeans, especially young people, to fight disinformation and to debate Europe’s place in the world, with reactivity and perspective.

From January 16 until the European elections in June, « Talking Europe » (En) and « Ici l’Europe »  magazine teams on France 24, (the leading 24-hour international news channel in terms of its coverage of European issues according to the Foundation Jean Jaurès) are focusing on these crucial elections for the future of Europe, with a series of exclusive and special programmes. All of them will be aired on France 24 in English and in French and can be found in dedicated online specials and on social media. France 24 in Arabic and in Spanish also offers daily coverage of European news, electoral issues, and the upcoming June elections.

600th edition of the show “Talking Europe” on France 24

To be aired on Saturday January 20th at 1.15pm * on France 24 in English

In a special show presented by Armen Georgian, Talking Europe heads to the European Parliament for an exclusive interview with Slovakian Maros Sefcovic, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission.

As part of the campaign for the European elections, Armen Georgian (En) and Caroline de Camaret (Fr) are offering a series of debates on two Saturdays a month until June in « Talking Europe » and  « Ici l’Europe »  to analyse the main topics of the 2024 European elections. In partnership with Public Senat, a focus on a member state or group of states will be proposed.

To be followed until the European elections on France 24 :

> Saturday February 24th 24 at 1.10 pm* : To mark the 2nd year of the war in Ukraine, « Talking Europe » and « Ici l’Europe »  teams travel to Ukraine to meet the ministers in charge of the country’s accession into the European Union, and talk to leading figures and Ukrainians.

> Saturday May 4rd at 1.10 pm*: On the occasion of Europe Day in Paris, in partnership with France 24 and RFI, Caroline de Camaret will be live from the forecourt of the Hôtel de Ville in Paris, offering debates with numerous guests. This edition will focus on the Paris Olympic Games, and the personalities will be on hand to answer questions from the public.

> From May 27th: daily column at 1.15 and 7.10 pm*: Each day, Armen Georgian (Ang) and Caroline de Camaret (Fr) offer twelve minutes of news on the European election campaign. The programme includes reports from across Europe by France 24’s special reporters, portraits, and exclusive content.

> Sunday June 9th: European election night on France 24 and RFI.

Every day, European issues are part of RFI’s programme schedule, giving listeners a view of current events on the continent. From 12:00 to 12:30 pm*, the news edition “L’Europe à midi” (Europe at noon) offers listeners daily content on European issues, as well as the news magazine « Accents d’Europe » presented by Juliette Gheerbrandt, Frédérique Lebel and Juliette Rengeval.

Throughout the European election campaign, RFI’s Europe journalists (Anastasia Becchio, Julien Chavanne, Romain Lemaresquier and Daniel Vallot) are mobilising to offer reports, interviews and analysis on the major debates driving the continent’s societies today.

In collaboration with France 24, RFI also hosts a weekly show « Ici l’Europe » at 8.40 pm* on Friday evenings. Reports, exclusive content and guests on European issues can also be found throughout the day, especially in “Reportage international”, “Reportage France” and « Ici l’Europe » .

To be found throughout the 2024 European election campaign:

> A major debate in Brussels in April, jointly organized with France 24, with the heads of the European lists.

> A weekly international guest: « Grand invité international » ” (7.20 am*) with a leading figure in European current affairs.

> A regular report: « Grand reportage » (8.40 pm*) to bring topics about European societies to air on RFI.

To speak to all audiences, in French and in foreign languages, France Médias Monde has also set up a Central and Eastern Europe regional centre in the heart of the continent, in Romania. This includes its subsidiary RFI Romania, RFI’s Ukrainian-language newsroom, and ENTR’s Romanian-language newsroom, all of which offer a variety of programmes and content as close to the ground as possible.

The 14 foreign-language newsrooms (English, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Spanish, Fulfulde, Hausa, Khmer, Kiswahili, Mandenkan, Persian, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian and Vietnamese) are also dedicated to providing their listeners and web users with expert daily coverage of European news, including the elections and polls in June 2024.

The 100% digital offering dedicated to young Europeans in eight languages, will provide social network coverage of the highlights of the European campaign. The ENTR team will explain the issues of the major European themes in connection with the daily lives of young people, by airing a new podcast format on the YouTube channel. In collaboration with France 24 and the programme « Ici l’Europe » as well as RFI and the programme « Accents d’Europe », it will also produce a series of testimonies posted on Instagram to give a voice to first-time voters on major European issues.

Since 2021, ENTR has been developed by France Médias Monde and Deutsche Welle in partnership with a dozen media outlets and civil society organisations in Europe. It is available in eight languages (French, German, English, Bulgarian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, and Romanian) on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), and offers content on all the issues that interest young people and make them react. ENTR recorded over 100 million views between January and October 2023.

Monte Carlo Doualiya (MCD) brings Europe to life in the Arabic language, through its daily news editions on major European issues, and will be stepping up its coverage in the run-up to the European elections. MCD is one of the few Arabic-language radio stations to offer comprehensive coverage of the highlights of European news, thanks to its correspondents in the capitals of Europe.

BBC News Urdu live on TikTok

BBC News Urdu live on TikTok

BBC News Urdu live on TikTok

BBC News Urdu has added TikTok to the social-media platforms delivering its content. The @bbcurdu feed on TikTok brings fast-paced, easy-to-understand videos, offering perspective and insights into news stories and issues of relevance to Urdu-speaking audiences.

Venturing into TikTok, BBC News Urdu further expands its major presence on the Urdu-language social media scene where millions of subscribers connect with the BBC on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube.

BBC News Urdu Editor, Asif Farooqui, says: “BBC Urdu is known for its unbiased and trusted news coverage, investigations, documentaries and explanatory content. As we expand into TikTok, we will deliver the same journalism that we know our audiences will engage with, accessing BBC News in dynamic, concise formats tailored for them.”

Launched ahead of Pakistan’s general elections, the BBC News Urdu feed on TikTok will also bring election-specific content aimed to help audiences make informed decisions. As with all other platforms, tackling disinformation and misinformation will be an integral element of the BBC News Urdu content on TikTok.

The website bbc.com/urdu is one of the world’s largest Urdu-language news websites, offering rich, high-impact content.

BBC News Urdu is part of the BBC World Service.

France 24 gains ground in Kenya

France 24 gains ground in Kenya

France 24 gains ground in Kenya

In Kenya, where the channel is broadcast on DTT, France 24 is known by more than a third of residents (34%) in Nairobi, the capital. 11% of them follow the channel per week, mainly in English. In addition to its DTT broadcast, three local channels which carry part of the France 24 programmes (KTN10, Y25411 and Kirk TV12) contribute significantly to its audience in the country.

In terms of its audience, France 24 has risen to the rank of the leading international news channel in Kenya.

On a qualitative level, this study carried out by Kantar makes it possible to measure the impression of France 24 among its viewers, 53% of whom say they know its programming very well. According to them, France 24 provides relevant and reliable information on many subjects, and 71% say they recommend it to those around them.

France 24 is available in 9.3 million TV households in Kenya, or 85% of all equipped Kenyan households. The English channel is received in 9.2 million households (almost all), the French channel is received by 0.5 million households and the Arabic channel by 0.2 million households.

*Source: Kantar, survey carried out from May 15 to 28, 2023, among a representative sample of the population aged 15 and over in the country’s capital: Nairobi