By Modupe Gbadeyanka
First pan-African multilingual media source produced simultaneously in French and English languages, Africannews, has increased its annual audiences to 6.3 million two years after it was launched.
To measure TV audiences and awareness ratings, Africanews relied on Kantar TNS’ expertise through its Africascope survey conducted in 8 French-speaking African countries and 9 capital cities representing more than 18 million individuals, aged 15 and above.
According to the survey, Africanews’ audience is young and more affluent than the average of the target population. The majority of its audience are men, who account for 64 percent of Africanews’ viewers in these eight countries.
The survey conducted in eight countries, also reveals that Africanews’ awareness is now 45 percent up 6 points from 2016. This growth is captured by a weekly audience of 3.2 million viewers.
The countries surveyed were Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou), Cameroon (Douala and Yaoundé), Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa), Gabon (Libreville), Ivory Coast (Abidjan), Mali (Bamako) and Senegal (Dakar).
Africascope also highlights the strong TV audience in all countries surveyed, with an average 90 percent of people aged 15 and over watching television daily, which amounts to 16.4 million viewers.
Outstanding rates for Africanews in Congo Brazzaville and Gabon
Barely two years after its launch, Africanews is widely acclaimed in Congo Brazzaville where awareness of the channel reaches 78 percent.
Since its launch, Gabon has been very receptive of the new Pan-African and multilingual news outlet and the awareness rate remains exceptional at 68 percent.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon, Africanews also enjoys strong awareness levels of 50 percent and 46 percent respectively.
Elsewhere in French-speaking Africa, the awareness of Africanews continues to see a steady growth and 40 percent of respondents have heard of the channel in Ivory Coast, 35 percent in Senegal, Burkina Faso, 33 percent and 29 percent in Mali.
Commenting, Michael Peters, CEO of Euronews and President of Africanews, said, “Since its launch, Africanews, as the first pan-African and multilingual media outlet, has been offering to its viewers, innovative and qualitative content produced by Africans and broadcast from our headquarters in Pointe-Noire, Congo.
“This dedicated offer to a rising continent has resonated with local people who year after year renew their confidence for access to a relevant, credible and independent information.”
Adedapo Adesanya