Al Jazeera Media Network yesterday announced the launch of its daily channel on Snapchat’s Discover which the network sees as one of the key mediums for its dedicated Arabic content aimed at engaging and inspiring a generation of empowered and conscious Arab youth.
Commenting on the launch, Dr Yaser Bishr, Executive Director of Digital for Al Jazeera said: “This is not simply another attempt to fill a millennial niche. Al Jazeera has assembled a team of young storytellers consisting of journalists, influencers and creative talents from around the region to produce the Arabic content for our Snapchat audience.”
He emphasised: “Our digital content is carefully curated and shared among the receptive Snapchat community with an aim to bring them news, current affairs and captivating content.” By bringing the storytellers closer to the audience, the stories Al Jazeera publishes will offer the news and issues that their audiences are passionate about. The content has been curated and created with a truly regional and authentic focus. Young people in the Arab world are socially conscious and do care about politics, human rights, social diversity and justice; as much as they do about lifestyle and entertainment. By listening to the needs of the audience when creating content, Al Jazeera is able to focus on sharing more targeted stories of interest and value to a younger generation.
Dr Mostefa Souag, Acting Director General of Al Jazeera Media Network, stated: “By partnering with Snapchat to push storytelling forward, Al Jazeera continues to work towards informing and empowering our younger audience in the Middle East, North Africa and beyond, through various new and innovative platforms.”
Younger audiences continue to seek smart, thought-provoking digital stories and news. With Snapchat seeing a rise of over 12 million users in the Mena region, Al Jazeera believes it’s an ideal place to reach these audiences.