MultiChoice launches Euronews in SA
This week, MultiChoice South Africa began broadcasting EuroNews, an international news channel covering world news from a European perspective broadcast simultaneously in five language choice options on its DStv Bouquet. The channel commenced on channel 61 on Monday, 11 December 2006.
Says Aletta Alberts, MultiChoice GM for content: "In the pursuit to acquire the highest quality television content from across the world, MultiChoice aims to ensure there is a choice of programming that is compelling and relevant to subscribers. We are very pleased that the EuroNews channel fulfils all of these prerequisites".
Launched in 1993 as the first multilingual pan-regional news service, EuroNews - which is a bouquet of digital news services, offering TV programmes and interactive features via cable, satellite and terrestrial TV as well as hotels and airlines networks, ADSL, Internet, PDA and mobile phones - is reported to be one of Europe's leading television news channels. In Q3 2006, 3.5 million viewers watched EuroNews every day and an additional 3.1 million through terrestrial windows.
The five language choice options are English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese.
EuroNews's objective is to give viewers a wider perspective on the world, backed up by a guarantee of independent reporting. The channel is supplied with news footage from around the globe through the Eurovision Exchange, its shareholders, and the major press and TV news agencies. This wide choice of sources allows journalists to compare, analyse and then report with balance.
Comments Luis Rivas, EuroNews' director of news and programmes, "International news is made of conflicts and each protagonist has his point of view to defend. Our mission is to allow all those involved to express themselves. Whatever the conflict, political, cultural or religious, EuroNews has to remain neutral and bring its viewers complete and detailed news, allowing them to form their own opinions. This debate does not only take place on air but is also at the heart of our editorial process."
Appointment to view reports are offered on the half hour, with in-depth comment and editorial in the evening, and a complimentary offering of lifestyle programming during daytime and weekends.
"Introducing EuroNews on our bouquet was yet another milestone for us at MultiChoice, which translates into more choice for our subscribers," says Alberts.
EuroNews is available via cable, digital satellite, ADSL and through terrestrial channels. The channel can also be seen in upmarjet hotels, onboard major airlines, on PDA, on mobile phones and everywhere around the world on www.euronews.net.
