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| France 24 to challenge 'Anglo-Saxon' CNN, BBC | ||||
| 2006-10-31 | ||||
| A round-the-clock international news channel France is to launch in December will challenge the 'Anglo-Saxon' views spread by market leaders BBC and CNN by relying on 'French values', the network's chief said Tuesday. France 24, as the network is called, will start broadcasting in English and French on the Internet on December 6 and then via satellite two days later, its chairman and chief executive, Alain de Pouzilhac, told Le Figaro newspaper.
Instead, he asserted, they "are looking for contradictory opinions — which is what France 24 is proposing by relying on French values." the channel would highlight "diversity (and)... confrontation, without forgetting the culture and French art of living
Financed to the tune of EUR 80 million a year by the state and run as a joint operation between France's top commercial and top public national TV networks, France 24 will start out as a minnow to the BBC or CNN, both of which have built up global networks and enjoy established reputations. BBC World, the privately financed international arm of Britain's public broadcaster, has 250 staff and an undisclosed budget. CNN's US and international divisions employ 4,000 people and revenues of US $860 million (EUR 730 million). Additionally, other players have entered the market, most notably the Arab network Al-Jazeera, which has just started an English-language service. But Pouzilhac insisted there was room for the French channel. "From its launch, France 24 will potentially reach 250 million individuals," and will be pumped into 500 hotels in 64 countries, he said. It will be offered throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East and in the US cities of New York and Washington. Later, it plans to extend its broadcasts to all of North and South America and to Asia. Staffed by 380 people — including 170 bilingual journalists — it will be relying in part on video footage and reporting provided by its managing companies, the TF1 private network and the state-owned France Televisions, as well as from partner organisations such as AFP and Radio France Internationale. France 24 was conceived years ago as a pet project of President Jacques Chirac, who in February 2002 called for a "big international news channel in French able to rival the BBC and CNN." The US-led invasion of Iraq pushed the project forward, because Chirac was reportedly miffed by the way CNN and the BBC presented France's opposition to the war. Some reports in US media inaccurately stating that "Paris is burning" during the 2005 riots around France also nettled his government. Chirac has said he hoped the channel would place France "at the forefront of the global battle of images".
The European Commission gave the green light to the French channel in June, but media commentators have highlighted internal problems in the company caused by forcing TF1 and France Televisions — aggressive competitors in the national market — to work together. The head of France Televisions, Patrick de Carolis, had unsuccessfully lobbied to have TF1 jettisoned from the project, and relations between the two remain frosty. | ||||
| Posted by:lotp |
| #9 I'd watch ....if the babes were hot and topless |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-10-31 21:04 |
| #8 The funny thing here is that if they really want to penetrate the global market and reach decision makers, they will have to offer an English language version. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-10-31 20:55 |
| #7 Carbeques live on FR24 24/7. Watch the frivolity. Watch the cops getting their brains beaten in. Beam it to the world, so we can see what a happy place France has become. |
| Posted by: SpecOp35 2006-10-31 17:57 |
| #6 It will only operate 35 hours per week. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2006-10-31 14:34 |
| #5 I'll admit My ignorance of all things European. How would this show differ from every other channel on the Continent? In a way, it sounds like Air America, trying to find customers in an area saturated with ABC/CBS/NBC/CNN/PBS/NPR. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2006-10-31 13:59 |
| #4 "[Viewers] are looking for contradictory opinions" Try telling them the plain truth, then - without the usual leftist spin and lies. That would be "contradictory" to your usual behavior - and would shock the hell out of everyone. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-10-31 13:39 |
| #3 Paid for by "Visit Iran. Land of enchantment," ads. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-10-31 13:35 |
| #2 CNN or French 24? Who could really tell any difference? |
| Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2006-10-31 13:17 |
| #1 I'm speachless. Well, good luck France 24! You'll need it! |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2006-10-31 12:47 |