Burson-Marsteller is set to launch its own satellite television network
next week, linking 20 European offices and the agency’s headquarters in
New York.
The move - a first for a PR firm - will allow live television
interaction between all offices and will be run by CTN, B-M’s business
television joint venture with ITN.
The network will be offered to clients for press and analyst briefings,
media tours and conferences.
In addition, the agency will use the network to communicate with its own
staff; a live broadcast covering agency news, training and client
information is planned to run every four to six weeks. The first
broadcast is set for next Tuesday.
If successful, the network will in time to be rolled out to the rest of
B-M’s international network.
Stephen Watson managing director of CTN said: ‘BMTV provides a dedicated
channel of communication between the major commercial centres in Europe
which will allow clients to address audiences in these cities.
‘At its simplest it means a client chief executive can come into our
London office and talk live to the press in Paris, Brussels and Milan.
Alternatively live events can be filmed and patched across Europe,’ he
said.