EBU and AIL form intercontinental news-sharing agreement

The partnership, in force from 1 May 2026, connects the EBU’s Eurovision News Exchange (EVN) with AIL’s network of more than 20 private television broadcasters from Latin America, the Caribbean, and one public broadcaster from the Canary Islands – enabling reciprocal access to diverse, trusted, and high-quality news content.

For the first time, EBU Members will be given systematic access to news material and breaking news live signals from Latin America and the Caribbean, while AIL Members gain access to an enlarged supply of European news coverage from the EBU’s 100 organisations in more than 50 countries.

Under the agreement, members of both organisations can access and broadcast each other’s audiovisual news material across multiple platforms, including linear broadcasting and digital services. This includes distribution via satellite, terrestrial, and online channels, as well as streaming on proprietary and third-party platforms under full editorial control.

“The signing of this agreement marks a significant milestone for our organisation in the development of a global news service,” said Juan Carlos Isaza Montejo, Executive Director of AIL. “This new alliance fosters journalistic collaboration between both organisations’ broadcasters, bringing the two continents closer culturally.”

Liz Corbin, EBU Director of News, tells IBC365: “We’re working in a media environment where resources are under constant pressure and audience expectations are quite rightly demanding, but also constantly changing. Collaborations like this are how public service media stays relevant and competitive.”

“This agreement is going to be extremely valuable to our members’ newsrooms. It means they have access to high-quality video news content from across Latin America and the Caribbean as the stories break and develop. So, it strengthens their coverage of this important but sometimes underreported region.

“The practical impact is immediate. For example, we’ve just had a major story that spanned the Atlantic. This new agreement meant our members had access to content on the hantavirus story that they wouldn’t previously have had. And it’s efficient: this content complements any of their own newsgathering or helps them tell the story without anyone from their own organisation being on the ground. It doesn’t get any better than having access to trusted, broadcast-quality content from established national broadcasters who know their countries better than anyone.

“It also works both ways; AIL's Members gain the same direct pipeline for European news coverage, giving their audiences authoritative reporting on a continent that shapes so much of the global agenda. That's a meaningful operational change for broadcasters on both sides – a true collaboration in the interests of all our audiences."

The deal will sit alongside the EBU’s similar agreements with the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) and Asiavision, the news exchange operated by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU). Likewise, AIL already has similar agreements in place with the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), and Asiavision, the news exchange operated by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU).

Corbin continues: “We might have a European base, but our members expect us to help them cover the world... With AIL now part of that network, we've taken a decisive step towards being a truly global news exchange built on reciprocity, not commercial interests.”

The partnership is reportedly founded on principles of parity and equal treatment, ensuring both organisations and their members enjoy identical rights and obligations in the exchange of content.

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