With the launch of 7 Info and the switch-off of analog broadcasting scheduled for November 13, Côte d'Ivoire is closing a chapter that began in 2016 with the granting of licenses to DTT operators. For Jean Philippe Kaboré and Philippe Di Nacera, who have been working on this project for more than five years, it is both an achievement and the beginning of a new adventure. ADWEKNOW: Who is 7 Info aimed at and how can it now be received? Philippe Di Nacera
: 7info is an Ivorian rolling news channel. It is aimed at anyone who loves news, anyone looking for news about Côte d'Ivoire, anyone who wants to stay informed at any time of day without waiting for the traditional 8 p.m. news bulletin, and anyone who prefers local news to institutional news. In addition, as 7info aims to analyze and support the country's economy and development, anyone interested in entrepreneurship, success stories, or economic news will find something to interest them.
7info is available on digital terrestrial television in Côte d'Ivoire, on channel 7, on the Canal satellite package (channel 207), on the internet on the "La télé d'Orange" package, and soon on the 7info website, where the channel's feed will be available for streaming.
In terms of programming, what are the highlights of your schedule? What is the balance between news and commentary?
Like any news channel, the flagship program is the news bulletin that we broadcast every half hour. Today, we offer a 7-minute video news bulletin that summarizes the main news stories. This news is also explained and explored in depth through a series of features, reports, and interviews broadcast throughout the day.
From early 2022, the channel will be represented by journalists, as the news bulletins will be presented and we will launch a major daily news program, with a debate on current affairs, columns, and guests.
As for the balance between news and commentary, I would say that we focus on information, facts, and situations to be shown, and we leave the commentary and explanations to our guests. The key to producing reliable information is to be accurate in the facts and balanced in the commentary.
Funding programs is a challenge for new channels. What message would you like to convey to advertisers to encourage them to invest in 7info?
Television is a formidable, powerful, and impactful tool that allows advertisers to reach their target audiences much more effectively than traditional print media or billboards, through conventional advertising, of course, but also through tailored editorial content. Our audience is made up of middle and upper classes, i.e., people who are generally well-informed and educated, with a certain amount of purchasing power.
To attract advertisers, we have developed a range of well-designed products and a very attractive price list, especially now, during the launch period. As everywhere else, the first advertisers will be the best served.
Audience measurement was one of the topics discussed during the round table organized by the HACA before the summer. What do you think is the best way to resolve this issue?
There has been a lot of trial and error on this subject, which is undoubtedly a determining factor in structuring the market, enabling advertisers to see clearly, and ensuring the sustainability of new private television channels.
Today, we are confident that the public authorities, our supervisory ministry, and the sector's regulatory body have recognized the importance of this issue, are working on it, and have agreed that proposals for organizing audience measurement in Côte d'Ivoire will be made to the channels within a reasonable time frame. It is this handling of the issue by the supervisory authorities that will be decisive in resolving this question.
Read also: Interview with Philippe Di Nacera, Deputy CEO of Optimum Media.