Al Jazeera launches innovative Arabic content on Snapchat's Discover

Press release

Published May 23rd, 2017 - 11:30 GMT

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.

Today Al Jazeera Media Network 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 further emphasized: "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.

Background Information

Al Jazeera Network

Al Jazeera started out more than fourteen years ago as the first independent Arabic news channel in the world dedicated to providing comprehensive television news and live debate for the Arab world. Al Jazeera was formally named the Al Jazeera Network in March 2006, transforming its operation into an international media corporation.

The Al Jazeera Network now consists of the flagship Al Jazeera Satellite (Arabic) channel, Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera Documentary, Al Jazeera Sport, Al Jazeera.net (the English and Arabic web sites), the Al Jazeera Media Training and Development Center, the Al Jazeera Center for Studies, Al Jazeera Mubasher (Live), and Al Jazeera Mobile.

Al Jazeera English, the 24-hour English-language news and current affairs channel, is headquartered in Doha, the capital of Qatar. The organisation is the world's first global English language news channel to be headquartered in the Middle East. From this unique position, Al Jazeera English is destined to be the English-language channel of reference for Middle Eastern events, balancing the current typical information flow by reporting from the developing world back to the West and from the southern to the northern hemisphere. The channel aims to give voice to untold stories, promote debate, and challenge established perceptions.

With broadcasting centres in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, London and Washington DC and supporting bureaux worldwide, the channel will set the news agenda, bridging cultures and providing a unique grassroots perspective from under-reported regions around the world to a potential global audience of over one billion English speakers. The station broadcasts news, current affairs, features, analysis, documentaries, live debates, entertainment, business and sport.

Building on Al Jazeera Arabic channel's ground breaking developments in the Arab and Muslim world that have changed the face of news within the Middle East, Al Jazeera English is part of a growing network that is now extending this fresh perspective from regional to global through accurate, impartial and objective reporting.