The Tunisian Broadcasting Corporation (ONT) has signed a multi-year contract with Eutelsat Communications to broadcast its new subscription-free TV platform across North and West Africa. ONT has selected the powerful Eutelsat 7 West A satellite to reach viewers across the region.
ONT is consolidating around ten Tunisian channels in a single package at 7/8° West, North Africa’s leading satellite broadcasting neighbourhood. Eutelsat 7 West A’s footprint also enables the ONT to extend reach to West Africa. Homes equipped with a satellite dish pointing to 7/8° West will be able to enjoy improved image quality and easier navigation of the channels in the platform.
Noomen Elfehri, Tunisia’s Minister of Communication Technologies and Digital Economy, stated: “The launch of this national project is a vehicle for Tunisia’s sovereignty in the field of broadcasting. Viewers will be able to enjoy a diversified and quality line-up of Tunisian content.”
Furthering the partnership between Eutelsat and the ONT Dhaker Baccouch, Chairman and CEO of the ONT, added: “In selecting the Eutelsat 7 West A satellite, we are providing viewers with improved image quality and we are equipped to scale up our new platform with further channels.”
Michel Azibert, Eutelsat’s Chief Commercial and Development Officer, concluded: “With this new contract the ONT is strengthening its portfolio of capacity on Eutelsat, adding to resources already leased on three of our satellites, Eutelsat 12 West B, Hot Bird and Eutelsat 36B, for newsgathering and broadcasting to the general public.”
On Tuesday 17 May at 22:00 CET, Euronews will unveil its new look and new logo inspired by its new strategic vision.
From the prestigious de GRISOGONO party at Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc during the Cannes Festival, Michael Peters, CEO of Euronews, will officially unveil Euronews’ new look and feel which reflects the ground-breaking “All Views” philosophy.
The modernization of the brand has been created in tight cooperation between internationally renowned agencies and Euronews’ teams led by Grégory Samak, its Creative Director. A brand campaign conceived by FRED & FARID Paris will emphasize the new Euronews’ look and vision.
After the launch of Africanews on April 20, 2016, the Euronews’ revamp is the second step of the new group strategy “Euronews NEXT“.
Euronews NEXT is based on a new mission statement: “To live and share a unique and global experience of news, knowledge and cultures, expressed through a genuine diversity* rooted in our European identity”.
Michael Peters, Euronews and Africanews CEO
“Euronews NEXT is our way of evolving and adapting to the demands of our society and social media. Our mission is to empower people and their views so they can make up their own mind from a sound, reliable and trustworthy news media source. This mission is also a cause: to provide the diversity of perspectives, based on our strong multiculturalism that is at the heart of our DNA. Because all views matter, Euronews is “All Views”.
This is our solution to effectively provide competitive changes to our consumers that demand a superior news source that will suit their needs. Euronews NEXT is a unique new generation of our reporting philosophy that is a step by step strategy to modernize and adapt our competitive edge.
We are delighted and enthusiastic by our collaboration with such talents as Lambie-Nairn and David Lowe, Brand42, Fred & Farid. We are also pleased to partner with de Grisogono and its amazing team to unveil the Relaunch of our unique new vision to the world during Cannes Festival.
The future of Euronews is always challenging, exciting, and we believe in adapting to the continuously ever-changing diverse multi-cultural world we live in. We want the Consumer to make up their own mind.”
LIVE ON EURONEWS
A special evening dedicated to the new Euronews’ era will be broadcast live
from the de GRISOGONO party.
At 21:50 CET, Euronews’ journalist OleksandraVakulina will be live from Cannes
to cover the revamp and unveiling to its worldwide audience
at 22:00 CET by Michael Peters, CEO.
on air LIVE at 21:50 CET
A new visual identity
Produced in conjunction with prestigious UK agency Lambie-Nairn (BBC, Euro 2012…), the new visual identity of Euronews is designed for the digital age and entails a complete graphic overhaul of its news segments, main programmes, and all digital products
Set to music by composer David Lowe (BBC, ITV, Premier League…), the identity aims to inject rhythm, power and greater intensity into Euronews’ news flow and all its content.
In a sense, this identity marks a return to essentials in support of the new claim: promoting a wealth of viewpoints, as only a powerful and independent media outlet like Euronews can do.
A new responsive design site
Also on 17 May, the beta version of the new revamp site will be launched in order to further build the loyalty of our multiple diverse digital audiences worldwide. The new euronews.com has been designed in cooperation with design experts of Brand42 as part of a whole new ecosystem of non-linear services.
This new digital platform offers: a fully responsive design (for phones, tablets and computers), positions Euronews perfectly to cater for new consumer habits. On Euronews’ platforms and those of its partners, of social networks and OTT services, the type of screen no longer matters.
The revamped euronews.com offers more perspectives on key news stories. It keeps the same mix of vital, accurate reports but, with its user friendly centric approach, the new site will provide more viewpoints from Euronews’ hundreds of reporters from 35 countries.
A new programming schedule
The programming schedule is also reshaped: in weekdays, the day is organised in four time slots (CET Central European Time):
To promote Euronews’ new vision, an advertising campaign will run across various platforms: international press, digital and outdoor display in major European airports and railway stations in Paris, Brussels, London and Berlin.
The campaign created by FRED & FARID Pariswill start as from May 2016. (Source: Euronews press release)
The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) has today – 12 May 2016 – condemned the leaking of the personal details of thousands of journalists and media workers who have reported from eastern Ukraine and the support for the publication by member of the Ukrainian parliament.
Above – Simon Spanswick, AIB chief executive, interviewed on RT English
On 7th May, a group of hackers claimed on the website Myrotvorets (Peacemaker) that they had breached computers used by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine to keep track of journalists they had allowed to work in the region. The hackers published a database containing the names, affiliations, and contact information of more than 7,000 individuals. The database includes over 4,500 local and international journalists and media workers who have reported from the conflict zone.
According to the US based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) the separatists have been collecting journalists’ contact information as part of an accreditation process even though their authority over eastern Ukraine is not internationally recognised.
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office on Wednesday announcedthat it had opened an investigation into the publication of the journalists’ names and contact information under article 171.1 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code, which covers “obstruction to journalism.”
The hackers wrote that they did not know what the consequences of their action would be, but added, “Be certain: It is important to publish the list because these journalists collaborate with terrorist guerillas.”
“The Association for International Broadcasting and its Members condemn without equivocation the publication of these data,” said Simon Spanswick, chief executive of the AIB. “The names and contact data of many journalists and news crews working for AIB Members – and hundreds of other agencies, TV channels, radio stations and newspapers – are included in the release. There is no excuse for releasing information of this sort. The journalists working in East Ukraine were there legitimately, reporting the situation for the benefit of audiences and readers throughout the world. Accusations that the journalists ‘collaborated with terrorists’ are completely unfounded and without any substance. We call on the authorities in Ukraine to take steps to have these data removed from the Internet and to prosecute those involved in this hack.”
Oksana Romanyuk, head of the Institute for Mass Information, a press freedom group in Kiev, told the CPJ that the hackers’ actions had remained largely unnoticed until Tuesday, when Anton Geraschenko, a member of Ukraine’s parliament, praised them on the social media site Facebook. Geraschenko suggested that Ukraine’s authorities should introduce specific actions to “counter Russian propaganda.”
Geraschenko’s recommendations included: “imposing control over broadcast programming and cable networks to prevent distribution of information that could destabilize Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity;” “imposing control over accreditation of reporters, specifically those from Russia;” “deportation of reporters found in breach of national laws;” and “developing legal and technical resources to block online content that incites to violence and destabilises Ukraine’s national security.”
Ukrainian and foreign journalists have condemned the publication of personal data of reporters, including those from the Ukrainian broadcaster Hromadske TV, the Moscow-based newspaper Novaya Gazeta, Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza, the BBC, The New York Times, The Daily Beast, The Economist, and others. In a statement signed by 37 journalists and published on Wednesday 11th May, they rejected the description of the accredited journalists as “collaborators with terrorists” and demanded that the personal data leak be investigated by law enforcers, saying it violated Ukraine’s privacy laws, the nation’s constitution, and the European Convention on Human Rights
According to the statement, journalists started receiving threats by phone and email after the list was made public. The signatories said that by obtaining accreditation from the separatists, they were able to inform the public of the crimes committed in the area, including the downing of the Malaysian Airlines plane over the region in July 2014.
The journalists also said that in 2014 alone, at least 80 journalists were detained by eastern Ukrainian separatists in connection with their work and that some of them were tortured. They urged the hackers to remove the list from the Internet.
The AIB encourages the journalists and media workers on the list to take extra precautions for securing their email accounts and digital information.
RT has pioneered in offering a VR broadcast of the parade as part of its special coverage of the 71st anniversary of Victory Day.
The 360-degree panoramic video captured by RT’s camera gives a bird’s-eye view of the Red Square, as seen from a group of Mil Mi-8АМТSh helicopters, as well as a real feel of being in the cockpit of a Sukhoi Su-27 fighter, part of the famous Russian Knights aerobatics team.
Earlier, RT was the first TV channel to offer a live 360-degree HD broadcast of the Victory Day parade rehearsal using its special, fully immersive camera.
CNN International Commercial today announced a historic news affiliate and consultation agreement between Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc., the distributor of CNN International in the Asia Pacific region, and Shwe Than Lwin Media Co., Ltd., (known as ‘SkyNet Myanmar’) to help the company launch the country’s first 24-hour local language news network, Channel One.
As part of this multi-year agreement, SkyNet will receive detailed consultation and comprehensive training from CNN on all aspects of launching a news channel, including newsgathering and production, digital and technical operations, program development and best-practice management. Once Channel One launches, SkyNet will continue to receive on-going training from CNN at CNN’s Asia headquarters in Hong Kong, its global U.S. headquarters in Atlanta, and on-site in Yangon.
As part of the agreement, Channel One will also broadcast CNN content and programming in local Burmese language, another first for the country. The alliance also includes supporting SkyNet in its development of a complementary Channel One news website.
Vice President, Content Sales and Partnerships, CNN International Commercial, Greg Beitchman: “Myanmar is such an exciting market for growth and we couldn’t be happier to align with SkyNet in its efforts to lead the transformation of the media landscape in the country. Launching the first local 24 hour news channel is a significant milestone and it’s our privilege to be affiliated with an organization that aspires to CNN’s vision and values. A comprehensive and tailored training program will be put together to ensure the channel offers the best in class in news content in Myanmar.”
Chairman, Shwe Than Lwin Media Co., U Kyaw Win: “CNN has been synonymous with 24 hour news for more than three decades. As the world’s leader in news, there is absolutely no one better to learn from. Through this strategic affiliation with CNN we are giving Channel One the very best chance to succeed by delivering a first-class service that gives the people of Myanmar the best of local and international news.”
The alliance between CNN International and SkyNet Myanmar is part of a strategic effort by CNN International Commercial’s Content Sales and Partnerships Group to support the development of high quality journalism, and grow the reach of CNN’s content by working with other leading media organisations. (Source: CNN)
3 May marks World Press Freedom Day. The international day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the 26th Session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991. This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration on media pluralism and independence.
Every year, 3 May is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
