UN partners with YouTube to launch online television channel

The United Nations has launched its television channel on YouTube, a popular video sharing and social networking web site, in an effort to reach a broader and younger audience on a range of issues on the world body’s agenda.

The programmes set to air on the channel are produced by UN Television (UNTV) with the Organization’s agencies and funds, and cover topics such as climate change, development, human rights and peace and security.

Some of the current stories posted on site address the fight against prejudice of India’s so-called untouchables, the threats to the ecological treasures of the Galapagos Islands and several segments from 21st Century, the UN’s monthly news magazine that spotlights the world’s most forgotten stories.

The UN is also partnering with YouTube to launch, on 25 September, a joint campaign In My Name with global nonprofits Oxfam, GPAC and Save the Children, to draw attention to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – the set of eight anti-poverty targets world leaders have pledged to achieve by 2015.

As part of the campaign, Black Eyed Peas singer Will.i.am will ask citizens from every country to upload footage to YouTube supporting the MDGs by stating their name, their country and, if desired, a request to their government to end poverty.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon intends to join the online petition that will feature a song written by the Black Eyed Peas artist especially for the campaign.

The partnership with YouTube is the latest effort by the UN to use new media technologies to get its message out. The world body recently drew on SMS mechanics for the International Day of Peace “Txt 4 Peace” campaign encouraging people across the world to send messages of peace.

An innovative partnership was also forged between Internet giant Google and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to map environmental projects across the globe.