After two days of test broadcasting, a 24-hour international TV
news operation set to rival existing giants in the global market will ‘soft
launch’ on February 4, 2013, broadcasting from its main News Centers in London,
New York, Johannesburg and Lagos.
ARISE NEWS, will have a strong African footprint and serve
underserved communities in the USA and other parts of the world, supported by a
further eight bureaux around the globe stretching from Beijing to Rio de
Janeiro.
A sister channel, ARISE 360, which will be entertainments-based
with fashion, music sport and pay per view films, will start broadcasting
toward the end of this year.
The 'arrival' of the network was announced by company executives
in London and New York.
Chairman and Editor in Chief of ARISE NEWS and ARISE 360 is a
leading African media entrepreneur, Nduka Obaigbena, owner and publisher of the
global glossy style, fashion and culture magazine, ARISE, and the publisher of
several other titles including one of Nigeria's biggest and most influential
daily newspapers, THISDAY.
Mr Obaigbena said: ‘We will attract a global audience interested
in emerging markets, developing countries and evolving politics. With
headquarters and bureaux throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, we
are ready to speak to our audience and give them a voice as well.
‘We are a new international network established to reflect the
new world order not hardwired to the old and built to reflect the modern way
news is consumed. Nowhere is this more important than in the emerging
economies.’
Mr Obaigbena stressed: ‘There will be no state funding and no
state agenda. Our coverage will be balanced, comprehensive and completely
independent.
‘Our efforts will concentrate on robust journalism anchored on
imperatives of the marketplace.’
Rob Beynon, a former executive producer with ITN and Sky News
and now International Head of Operations at ARISE NEWS, said a team of TV news
experts had been assembled from around the globe.
Lyne Pitts, a former Vice President of NBC News and an Executive
Producer with CBS America is heading up the US operation from a vast studio
complex in New York.
Ms Pitts explained: ‘We want to present programming that truly
reflects the voices of America, not just a small slice but the racial, ethnic
and socio-economic diversity of this country.
‘From that perspective ARISE NEWS will cover all issues
education, health, politics and the criminal justice system. From Main Street
to Wall Street, from the G8 to the Grammy's.’
Director of US New and Operations is award-winning broadcaster
Gary Anthony Ramsay who has covered conflicts from Kosovo to Iraq.
Nigerian born John Chiahemen, a former Reuters bureau chief, has
been appointed Managing Editor - and Head of Africa.
David Glencorse, a former Sky News anchorman, international reporter
and Royal Television Society award winner, is the Global Editorial Director of
the company.
Nick Jennings, a former Head of International News at Sky News
is Director of News and News Gathering.
And Gavin Hill, until recently an award winning ITV producer of
documentaries is Director of Features.
James Blue, formerly an Emmy and Peabody award-winning producer
with ABC News Nightline and NBC Today has been appointed Director of Current
Affairs and Special Projects based in Washington.
Said Mr Blue: 'We want to tell the untold story, the stories of
achievement and celebration. So much is happening in the world of business and
so much is happening in the world of culture and sports. We want to cover all
of that and provide people with stories on our stations they would never see
anywhere else.'
Jeff Koinange, an Emmy award winning reporter and formerly CNN's
star Africa reporter will be based in Johannesburg as an anchorman and
correspondent.
Debbye Turner-Bell, a former CBS correspondent (and former Miss
America) will be a regular anchor for ARISE America.
South African born Heather Scott, a former Sky News anchorwoman
and business correspondent, will take on the role of roving anchor and
correspondent.
And Neil Stainsby, formerly a senior director with the BBC has
been appointed Global Lead Director across ARISE NEWS.
Michael Wilson, formerly Business Editor with Sky News is Global
Business and Economics Editor with ARISE NEWS.
He said: 'We at ARISE NEWS see Africa as the new frontier and we
know it is open for business. The markets feel the same.
In the last decade Africa's overall growth rates have quietly
approached those of Asia. According to projections from the IMF, on average
Africa will have the world's fastest growing economy of any country over the
next five years. ARISE News will uniquely cover the changing face of Africa
with in depth analysis.’
ARISE NEWS was welcomed at the recent World Economic Forum at
Davos, Switzerland, by senior politicians and business leaders around the
globe.
Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said ARISE NEWS would give
a boost to young people living in Africa.
‘The future is in the hands of young Africans themselves. The
more channels like yours that can make young people proud of Africa, the more
we’ll see young people seizing the opportunity’.
Trevor Ncube, Executive Deputy Chairman of the Mail and Guardian
Media Group in South Africa said: ‘ARISE NEWS is the fulfilment of a dream
we’ve had for some time. Unless we begin to tell our own story we’ll continue
to complain about the perceptions held about Africa in different parts of the
world’.
African oil baron, Adewale Tinubu said: ‘I think it’s wonderful
that ARISE NEWS is launching. It’s a first class step in the right direction
and a logical progression from ThisDay newspaper and ARISE magazine.’
ARISE NEWS will be live on cable, satellite, mobile devices, and
the internet twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.
'Wherever and whenever there is a major breaking news story, we
will cover it aggressively, especially on the under-reported continent of
Africa,' said Global Editorial Director, David Glencorse.
"We will take advantage of the latest technology and social
media to bring real-time interaction with newsmakers and news events. Our
international focus is on global news and current affairs from a distinct
perspective, while ARISE America will focus on US news and current affairs
through the eyes of communities currently ignored by mainstream media'.
ARISE News will offer advertisers a unique reach amongst an
affluent and influential audience.
Following the test broadcasts of last Thursday and Friday, the
‘soft launch’ phase began yesterday (Feb 4) and leads to a full broadcast
operation in March.
ARISE News is broadcasting across Europe on SKY Channel 234. The
company is currently negotiating other major distribution deals across the
globe.
LONDON
7 St. Martin’s Place, London, WC2N 4HA, United Kingdom.
NEW YORK
401 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
JOHANNESBURG
160, Jan Smuts Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa.
LAGOS
35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria.
Enquiries by email: info@arise.tv
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