Cathy Ibal, is the Sales Director,
Middle East, Africa, Southern/Central/Eastern Europe, Turkey and CIS, CNN
International. In this interview with Emeka Aginam, she spoke on a number of
things about international news and why African audiences are particularly
interested in following the international news agenda.
Excerpt How media
audiences are following international news agenda
Just about anyone working in international
news will tell you that we are living in an unprecedented news cycle, from big
economic and political stories such as Brexit and the US Election to terrorist
attacks in many corners of the world. Even though we can receive countless news
updates 24/7 from a variety of sources, audiences still look to trusted brands
and news organisations to try and make sense of it all. New independent
industry research published this month by Ipsos shows that African audiences
are particularly interested in following the international news agenda. Whether
on TV or digital, the Ipsos Affluent Survey Africa study found that upscale
audiences across the continent are tuning in, scrolling down or sharing news in
their masses. The survey is worth taking note of as it is the most significant
of its kind on the continent, based on a sample of over 2,500 people from the
top 15% of working adults aged 21-74 in seven African markets. Trends across
Africa The survey names CNN as the #1 international media brand, not just amongst
news competitors such as BBC or Sky News, business channels Bloomberg and CNBC,
but also over media such as Eurosport, Nat Geo and Discovery. Researchers found
that CNN reaches 60% of Africa’s affluent audience every month on TV and
digital, and we’re the most popular international news source in key markets
such as South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya. This interest amongst African
audiences in international news was also evident in research that we
commissioned earlier this year around international audiences and US Election.
In Africa, 89% of respondents to the survey had followed the US Election story
on CNN – either via TV, online, on social media or via our app. Combining TV
and digital To serve this demand for international news, media owners are investing
in an ever-growing mix of TV, digital and social across multiple screens and
platforms. Take CNN – we started out as a TV channel over three decades ago but
have shifted our approach from being purely linear to become a 24/7
multi-platform news organisation. We are as comfortable publishing bespoke
content to Snapchat or an Apple Watch as broadcasting it to over 425 million
households & hotel rooms worldwide through our TV network. Africa is at the
forefront of the changing media landscape and is one of the most exciting and
fast-changing digital markets in the world. The Ipsos research emphasises this
by showing that our monthly reach amongst the continent grows from 55% linear
only to 60% when digital is added to the mix. Mobile is a fascinating area too,
where Ipsos found that 17% of all affluent Africans access CNN via their
mobiles, tablets or smartphones every month. As the world’s most followed news
brand, we also know that audiences regularly discover news content through
social media, particularly Facebook but increasingly through messaging apps.
It’s not all news Just as international news media operate a mix of linear and
digital, so too is our output much more diverse than solely news. While
breaking news is the core brand promise of a channel like CNN, it’s important
that we also offer a range of supplementary original programming on TV and
digital. This portfolio spans content around key premium business such as
CNNMoney, CNN Style and CNN Travel but also includes no less than five strands
dedicated to covering Africa – everything from culture to entrepreneurs.
Diversifying our output gives depth to coverage of trends and issues, and
enables us to drill deeper into topics we know that audiences care about. The
marketing opportunity Almost all of the conversations that I have with brand
marketers revolve around combining quality content, the right environment, and
audiences at scale. The Ipsos research shows that international news media
delivers on the scale amongst affluent audiences across the continent, and you
only need to turn on CNN International or browse CNN Digital to see premium
content and compelling original programming that brands want to align
themselves with. For marketers, there is an opportunity to capitalise on the
exciting changes taking place in international news media. Long gone are the
days of being confined to the 30 second spot ad. There is now everything from
native advertising and dynamic ad formats on digital, to engaging social
campaigns, to smart content partnerships and sponsorships that leverage the
brand-building qualities of pan regional TV. The underlining insights in the
Ipsos research are just the latest evidence that international news media
continues to be a powerful force that is evolving to meet the demands of both
advertisers and consumers alike.
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