BBC, CNN, Euronews partner to give away airtime to health bodies

BBC Global News, CNN International and Euronews have partnered to give away free airtime worth up to $50 million to public health bodies and national health ministries to promote messages about the global coronavirus crisis and help stop the spread of the virus. Demand for health-related news has increased in recent weeks, and with these three broadcasters reaching over 800 million people, vital public health messages can reach vast populations across the globe.

Messages will run across the broadcasters' TV and digital platforms, with an opportunity to target specific audiences in specific regions. Euronews CEO Michael Peters said they are proud to launch this initiative together with BBC Global News and CNN International and they want to help health authorities share important information more widely, and they hope other media organisations will also launch similar initiatives.

"Accurate information is one of the best weapons in our collective armoury for fighting this virus.  We are telling the global story across our editorial output, but it also feels right to do whatever we can to help health agencies get their message out to the world as widely as possible," said
Jim Egan, BBC Global News CEO.

The World Health Organization is the first organisation to take the offer and other organisations and ministries are invited to contact the broadcasters by emailing moc.cbb@selaslanoitanretni, moc.renrut@gnitekramcinnc and moc.swenorue@selas.