Euronews plans to expand regionally through UAE

Abu Dhabi / WAM

Euronews is planning to expand across the region through the UAE, CEO of the France-based news network, Michael Peters, told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) without revealing more details.
“Yes we have plans that we can’t really tell (now). The fact that I’m here (in the UAE) is a clear sign of course. This region shows very strong growth, and I’m absolutely convinced that from a very healthy foundation that we have already with the country, there is much more really to come.”
Peters was speaking to WAM on the first day of the Global Media Congress which opened in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The French-German Group Chairman of Euronews hailed the organisation of events like the Global Media Congress as necessary, saying media has become “more omnipresent. We need to deliver news anytime anywhere. Data will be at the heart of everything. The winners will be able to have more control over data, but it should be used ethically. It’s a good platform to share thoughts and opinions about the latest developments in the industry.”
Consumers, he continued, are becoming producers. “It is a huge shift we’ll have to take into account, where anyone can provide breaking news through social media, like Twitter and TikTok. This consumer/producer model also requires control over the quality and credibility of news. Metaverse will break barriers, but no one knows how far it will go. In addition, if you want to increase your audience, you won’t do it through traditional platforms. All such topics are being addressed by the Congress.”
On investments in the media field, and if private investments may have a negative impact in terms of impartiality, Michael said that what counts at the end of the day is the trust in the brand by the consumers.
“Private investments and news are by nature of a completely different DNA. But after a period of let’s say bad experiences in some different media, I think what counts is the trust in the brands by the consumer. I think we come now to a much healthier situation where people who privately invest in news media know that there are limits and know that they can’t cross these limits. This is because they know that if they do so, they will damage what is the number one flagship of the media, namely the brand, and if they damage the brand, they will damage the business.”
He, in this regard, cited the fact that since 2015, Euronews has been majority owned by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris’ Media Globe. “I’m super proud of him (Sawiris). He invested a lot of time, money and attention without never interfering in the editorial line. So, this is an amazing case of being lucky enough to have a fantastic, let’s say, harmony between the independence of the output that will produce, and the financial support from the private entrepreneurs.”