People around the world are closely observing Washington DC this election season and DW is now giving audiences there a new source of international news they can use to understand the world better.

After a successful broadcasting agreement with longtime partner Megaherz, DW’s English-language channel is now being carried around the clock in its entirety to over 400,000 households in the Washington metro area. The agreement was announced at an ceremony in Washington attended by the directors of both DW and Megaherz along with guests from politics, business and media at the Newseum, a museum dedicated to news and free expression.

DW is also closely covering the US election with a special segment on social media, #whatamerica. DW correspondents in Washington and elsewhere are following campaigns and travelling the country asking the audience what they want for the future of America. The project reveals a personal side to the issues and introduces ordinary American voters to an international audience.

Select DW programming in English has been available since 2015 on Megaherz’s international channel, MhZ Worldview, alongside other broadcasters like France 24, NHK World TV and euronews. DW (Amerika) broadcasts the full range of DW’s German-language programming across the Untied States, Canada and Latin America.

 

Cuban online activist Yoani Sánchez has a new show on DW (Latinoamérica) called “La voz de tus derechos” (The voice of your rights). The weekly talk show features activists from across Latin America who discuss social, economic and political injustices they encounter in their countries. They are then able to promote the initiatives they are spearheading and draw attention to important issues. A guest on the show said the format inspires people to discover new directions while allowing their voices to be heard.

Speaking out against criminality, corruption and abuse can be a dangerous occupation. In Cuba, where information is strictly controlled by the government, Sánchez faced harassment for publicizing critical opinions on her blog Generacion Y. As a global advocate for free speech, DW recognized the value of Sanchez’s work and awarded her The Bobs – Best of Online Activism award in 2008 for best blog. But it wasn’t until 2013 that she was able to leave Cuba and receive the award.

DW’s strong presence across Latin America brings this important discussion to a large audience. In Cuba, Sanchez’s blog was one of the only sources of dissention against what she calls the “monopoly of information” from the Cuban government. With her new format on DW, she can now support local activism, sustainability and human rights across Latin America.

DW is helping to spark discussion and disclosure with a new Russian-language talk show Nemtsova.Interview hosted by Zhanna Nemtsova. It offers viewers a chance to hear from guests with a close relationship to Russian politics and culture who can shed light on important issues. Nemtsova joined DW’s Russian news department in August 2015.

Nemtsova’s father Boris Nemtsov was a very popular opposition politician in Russia and an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin. He was shot and killed in Moscow in 2015  and his death shocked Russia and symbolized the deteriorating social and political climate for opposition and dissention. Nemstova has called her father’s murder a “politically motivated assassination.”

Her new talk show on DW creates a platform for free speech and an open discussion of Russian issues that would not be covered by Russian media. Programs like these build a direct connection to Russian-speaking audiences and help foster a community of independent thought and open debate.

As media homogenization and restriction in Russia continue, there is a growing demand for independent sources of news and analysis for Russian-speaking audiences. With a network of Russian-speaking correspondents and connections to Russian media, DW can provide a valuable, alternative perspective.

DW has a strong tradition of promoting free speech and media freedom in Russia. The Russian-language news program Geofaktor is broadcast daily and presents unbiased coverage of news in Russian. One of Russia’s last independent media outlets TV Dozhd broadcasts the program.

For everyone with wanderlust, where to go next is limited only by their curiosity. DW’s new travel show Check-in is full of ideas of where to go and what to do when you arrive. Taking over for Discover Germany, Check-in is expanding the focus from Germany to Europe and the world.

Along with featuring in-depth segments on a German and European location, every week the show features a different international destination with a video blogger who brings the audience along on his adventures.

The show is also including the audience and every week a viewer’s favorite destination will be featured. With fans tuning in from around the world, DW can inspire more people to explore their world and share it with others.

Mobile

DW news content in English, German, French and Polish is now available on Samsung’s news aggregator app Upday. The app is a personalized news service developed by Axel Springer for Samsung phones in Europe. Full DW articles are now available on the service along with content from 1,200 major publications in Germany, France, Great Britain and Poland such as Spiegel, Le Figaro, The Telegraph and Onet.pl.

Asia

TonTon, the largest OTT platform in Malaysia now includes DW’s English-language channel TonTon currently has over 5 million subscribers with on-demand and live programming via DSL. DW is available on TonTon along with a small selection of other international broadcasters.

DW has a new cable partner in India. Maa Tara Cable Network is now broadcasting DW’s English-language channel to 50,000 household in the eastern Bihar region.

Africa

A selection of DW television programming is now being broadcast by Radio Flash FM’s new television station, Flash TV. DW has been a partner of Radio Flash FM in Rwanda since 2007.

South America

The Chilean cable provider Mundo Pacífico now includes DW (Latinoamérica) in its digital TV package. Mundo Pacífico has a large share of the pay TV market in Chile and will help increase DW’s technical reach in the region.