Euronews begins broadcasting in HD and 16/9 and reinforces its multiplatform strategy

Euronews begins the year in high definition, with its move to the 16/9 format, and launches a new broadcast image, with more rhythm and more appointments with viewers. It will also reinforce its lineup with new programs and boost its multiplatform presence on the Internet, mobile phones and tablets.

The pan-European information channel, Euronews, has started 2011 broadcasting in high definition and 16/9 format, and with the aim of being present on all screens, at any time and anywhere. To do this, it will strengthen its collaboration with YouTube and Dailymotion, creating new channels and with a greater presence on catch-up TV.

Euronews proposes, through its NoCommentTV application for iPhone, a UGC offer with “MyNoComment” and will launch within a month an application to follow the live broadcast through iPhone, iPad and Android. For iPad they are also developing a complete application.

Throughout this year it will also launch Euronews Display, a service adapted to digital signage screens in the most frequented places, such as train stations or airports.

Since January 2011, Euronews has also been present in the air as Air France offers a news bulletin on all its long-haul flights, exclusively produced by Euronews.

In terms of connected television, after a first agreement with Panasonic, Euronews is currently in advanced negotiations with the six main global manufacturers, including Toshiba, Sony and Philips.

Programming reinforcement

Euronews will also reinforce its programming this year with new programs and will incorporate new faces into its multicultural editorial team. Two well-known journalists in the European audiovisual sector, Alex Taylor and Chris Burns, will join the channel's teams and contribute to the new dimension of euronews.

With headquarters in Lyon (France) and correspondents in Brussels and, more recently, in Cairo and Doha, euronews opens permanent delegations in London, Paris, kyiv (local editorial office), Istanbul, Dubai, Washington and Beijing. The Brussels office becomes a key element of the new network of correspondents, and will be the first international editorial office present in the capital of Europe. This year the news channel will now have eleven languages, launching a new service in Ukrainian starting in August.

Philippe Cayla, president of Euwonews; Michael Peters, CEO; and Lucian Sârb, editor-in-chief, visited Madrid this Tuesday to present all these new projects.

Cayla recalled that the news channel occupies first place in Europe in both qualified audience and distribution. Euronews is currently received by 350 million homes in 155 countries, covering nearly 20% of the world's population, with its ten linguistic newsrooms.

Philippe Cayla also recalled the particularity of Euronews, a company of 700 employees, including 370 journalists, representing more than 20 different nationalities.

Lucian Sârb, at the head of the editorial team since 2009, presented the new editorial strategy and the new antenna look. His decisions for the dynamization of the antenna are now materialized with a greater emphasis on journalists, multiplying the duplexes, exclusive interviews and reports presented by the editorial team.

The year 2011 also marks a mini-revolution for the channel since the look and rhythm change profoundly, in parallel with the transition to the 16/9 format, with visual comfort and a new hierarchy of information.

Regarding digital strategy, Michael Peters recognized that a strong brand like Euronews currently rests on achieving the transition from the era of broadcasting, that is, classic linear dissemination aimed at the greatest possible number of people, to “ego-casting, that is, the ability to provide the ideal content in the right place and at the right time.”