Tbilisi, Georgia – 18th September 2019 – After announcing the signing of an MOU in July, Euronews and Silknet, Georgia’s leading telecommunications company, have signed an agreement to launch Euronews Georgia, a news channel and digital platform aimed at a Georgian-speaking audience.
Euronews is Europe’s number one international news channel. In a strategic move to become the world’s first “glocal media”, Euronews has in the past year signed three franchise agreements to launch Euronews Albania, Euronews Serbia and now Euronews Georgia.
The official signing ceremony took place in Tbilisi, where the new channel will be based, on 18th September, in the presence of President of Georgia Mrs. Salomé Zourabichvili and Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia Mr. Carl Hartzell.
Michael Peters, Euronews’ CEO said: “After only a few months of negotiations, I am very pleased that we reached an agreement to launch Euronews Georgia. We look forward to helping our partner Silknet build a new TV channel, which will broadcast international but also local news. Euronews Georgia will be an independent network, delivering impartial news and presenting all views, just as Euronews has always done. We are particularly committed to this and have put in place all necessary guarantees to ensure this.
Euronews has a solid track record and extremely high standards when it comes to delivering impartial news. Through its “All Views” editorial line, it has always been recognised as a trustworthy and independent media.
Euronews will ensure that news is treated with strict impartiality by recruiting the editor-in-chief of the newly-created channel and by establishing and controlling an editorial board. The editorial board will delimit strategic editorial orientations, and will take any decision establishing rules regarding the editorial line and the general balance of programmes, which are linked to the media’s fundamental values (such as editorial independence, freedom of expression, impartiality…etc…).
Recruitment will start shortly for the new channel, which will employ at least 50 people. Mr. Lucian Sarb, who is Euronews’ former Chief Content Officer, has been hired as a strategic media consultant to help set up the TV channel.
George Ramishvili, Chairman of Silknet’s Supervisory Board said: “I am excited about the future launch of a new news channel Euronews Georgia on the Georgian media market; It will be a Georgian-speaking European channel of the highest media standards. I am sure that under the guidance of the Euronews’ highly professional team, with Mr. Lucian Sarb, and with our local professionals we will develop the highest quality product that will enrich Georgia’s media environment. The TV studios are under construction now and recruitment will commence shortly. I want once again to emphasize that as much as the editorial line so the recruitment criteria are in full compliance with Euronews’ standards. The recruited staff will undergo comprehensive training with the help of Euronews. We plan for Euronews Georgia to start broadcasting in the fall next year. I believe that this is one more step for Georgia in its journey towards European integration. And one more step for Silknet in its journey towards establishing global connectivity by a news channel for its Georgian subscribers.”
According to the terms of the agreement, Euronews Georgia will benefit from the brand-awareness and reputation of Euronews, associating their new media with a household name in independent journalism. Euronews will share content with Euronews Georgia to feature alongside the Georgian media’s original content. Euronews Georgia will in particular use Euronews’ European editorial content. In return, Euronews will benefit from content made by the local franchise, in a region of particular news interest.
Situated at the strategic crossroads of East and West, ranking 6th in the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business’ index and benefiting from an Association Agreement with the EU, Georgia is undergoing a modern revival of importance to audiences throughout the world.
Silknet offers businesses and households the full range of telecommunication services, such as fixed telephony, fixed broadband based on fibre technology, IPTV and mobile. Silknet is rated B1/Stable by Moody’s and B+/Stable by Fitch Ratings.
Euronews is the number one international news channel in continental Europe, ahead of its competitors in terms of reach. Euronews broadcasts in 160 countries, reaching almost 400 million homes and over 142 million people every month, according to the Global Web Index.
