At a press conference held on 5 April at MIPTV in Cannes, Michael Peters, CEO of Euronews and Africanews, presented the positioning of a new group founded on one vision: promoting a diversity of viewpoints.
After the arrival nine months ago of a new majority shareholder, and the official opening last October of a new world HQ, Michael Peters unveiled the first elements that flow from the new positioning of the group, which now consists of two international news sources: Euronews and Africanews.
Michael Peters, CEO of Euronews and Africanews, said: “We are engaged in a fight against disinformation and the negative aspects of what we call ‘infobesity’ – an excess of news entirely lacking in perspective. These new phenomena, amplified by the digital revolution, provide daily fuel for our raison d’être: the urgent need to put pluralism back at the centre of the international debate.
“With the arrival of Naguib Sawiris last July; the willingness of all our shareholders to support Euronews in its sweeping changes; and having settled into a new HQ at the cutting edge of technology, we now have the resources to match our ambitions.
“Euronews is entering a phase of deep transformation. A renaissance that draws its strength from the identity of Euronews and from the unrivalled assets that determine its clear mission: making diversity central to news.”
Both media outlets make a claim: whatever the platform, our editorial teams will be driven by a diversity of viewpoints and by giving users a say. Euronews and Africanews want to give everyone the chance to form their own opinion, without imposing one of our own and without pretence.
Euronews, All Views
Euronews will officially launch its new look on 17 May at 22:00 CET. At this exact moment, Euronews will unveil a new logo and a complete graphic overhaul, designed in conjunction with UK agency Lambie Nairn; and its new brand claim: “Euronews, All Views”.
Also on 17 May, the beta version of the new euronews.com website will be launched in order to further build the loyalty of our multiple digital audiences worldwide. The new euronews.com has been designed as part of a whole new ecosystem of non-linear services. This new digital offer, in full responsive design, positions Euronews perfectly to cater for new consumer habits. On our platforms and those of our partners, of social networks and of OTT services, the type of screen no longer matters.
This 17 May launch will kick off a complete overhaul of the way we produce news. This transformation is the bedrock of the “Euronews NEXT” plan, our strategic response to a globalised news world that is becoming increasingly uniform. Our response aims to break away from the market’s usual way of doing things. It stems from Euronews’ constant ambition to offer differentiating, disruptive products.
Euronews NEXT, once approved by the supervisory board, will take effect in May this year, and will lead to the completion of Euronews’ transformation in spring 2017.
We will harness the fresh opportunities offered by technology to build a Euronews that is more meaningful to its audiences in each language, and thus more impactful. This will be a decisive step in the development of a more iconic Euronews.
In an ultra-competitive sector, all of our actions are geared to strengthening Euronews, which today is distributed in nearly 200 countries and 430 million homes. Euronews has established itself in Europe, where it is the most-watched international news channel; and worldwide, where it is consumed by nearly 40 million people daily, more than 130 million weekly, and more than 240 million monthly.
Africanews, Your Voice
After its online launch on 4 January last, Africanews will launch its TV channel on 20 April 2016 in 33 countries in sub-Saharan Africa simultaneously, and in more than 7 million homes via the main satellite packages, the main DTT offers, IPTV and also via our partners’ free-to-air windows in Africa.
Euronews’ sister channel, which covers African and world news from a pan-African perspective, shares its mission of meeting objectives of independence and the promotion of diversity. Produced in Pointe-Noire, Africanews has chosen a participatory format that will let it bring the pan-African perspective into the international debate. Africanews will be the voice of Africans, in Africa and worldwide. This ambition is reflected by a strong claim: “Africa, Your Voice”.
With a team of journalists from all over the continent, Africanews is fully aligned with the group’s new positioning.
(Source: Euronews press release)