Newsweek Belgie: innovation on paper

GMG Group, that ao owns the website Newsmonkey, has launched a Belgian-Flemish version of the well-known Newsweek magazine. Unlike its name, this paper (yes: print innovations do exist) magazine is intended to be monthly.  It relies on a dedicated editorial team. This first issue is 134 pages long and has a print run of 25.000 copies. Their first cover is about the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 touching down the moon.

Their target group is typified as "25-55 high end readers (homo eclecticus) with a global perspective". Newsweek will also rely on advertising revenues, thanks to an internal sales house.

Radio South: DH Radio out, LN24 in

The CSA, media regulatory body of the French-speaking community, has published the results of its radio call for tenders. The aim was to renew the radio licenses of the different stations: dozens of projects have been examined. When it comes to the FM frequencies, the large networks Bel RTL, Contact, Nostalgie and NRJ will go on. Fun Radio and the future radio part of LN24 get the remaining "urban radios" licenses. DH Radio is therefore meant to be withdrawn from the FM band unless the legal actions undertaken by its publisher IPM succeed in reforming the CSA decision. Anyway DH Radio is likely to remain until LN24 is technically ready for broadcasting. Worth noting that the DAB(+) frequencies get more stations as the technical capabilities are (far) broader than the on the analogue FM world. The Mint project run by RTL does not get any license and is withdrawn by the group.

About football fans and watching habits

Play Sports (Telenet) subscribers have been analysed based on their viewing behaviours from the latest football season 2018-2019 (at least what the Digibox, Yelo or Play Sport App reveal). Based on return path data, Telenet concluded that fans of KRC Gent (the ones most engaged with matches by Genk) proved to massively live in Limburg. Other clubs get a more diverse fan base.In the most extreme case, only 5% of the FC Brugge supporters live in the city itself. Play Sports went a little further: they drilled down the viewing habits of the different fans and concluded for instance that the fans of Zulte Waregem, STVV, Club Brugge and Genk would more likely watch Familie, while Thuis beter scores at those supporting KAA Gent, Lokeren, Anderlecht and Beveren. This type of target audience segmenting is original but it is worth mentioning that this analysis is made at best at household level (only the apps may be related to individuals).

More Flemish series on Netflix

Netflix generally try to customize their portfolio to the local taste. So is the thrillerserie "13 Geboden" available on the SVOD platform just one year if was broadcast on VTM. It is not the first time local series reach the Netflix catalogue: Code 37 (VTM), Beau Séjour or Eigen Kweek (één) among others may be watched on Netflix too. The platform also coproduced "Undercover" featuring Tom Waes and Anna Drijver.

EC Hockey unites RTBF, VRT and Eleven Sports

The recent success of our Belgian hockey team has increased the audience appeal for this kind of sport on TV. Not only Eleven Sports, that own the TV rights, but also RTBF and VRT will air the matches: Eleven has made an agreement with both the Flemish and the French-speaking public channels to let them broadcast the European Championship (EC) Hockey as well. This is good news for the popularity of this kind of sport  The EC will take place between Aug 16th and Aug 25th. Final matches will be played on Sat 24 for men and Sun 25 for women. Eleven Sports will also livestream every match of the Belgian teams on their Facebook page.