French news channel to broadcast in Britain

[BGonaSTICK]

The new 24-hour news channel funded by the French government to counter the global dominance of CNN and BBC World is to be beamed into the UK on the Sky platform.

France 24, which is set to launch at the beginning of December, has also signed up a number of UK presenters.

The news broadcaster, which will cost the French government €80m a year, will launch two channels, one in French and one in English, as well as an Arabic version online.

All television content will also be streamed over the internet.

Its executive team said today the channel would counter the dominance of "Anglo-Saxon" news by giving a French perspective on world events.

"Our goal is to present the French vision of international news, which is different to the ones of Anglo-Saxon channels such as CNN, the BBC, Fox News or to the one of al-Jazeera," said France 24's chairman, Alain de Pouzilhac.

"We want to show the diversity of the world and of its points of view. Our target is opinion-leaders around the world," he said.

The editor-in-chief, Jean Lesieur, denied that as the channel was funded by the French government it would act as a voice for its foreign policy.

"If anybody was afraid we are going to be the mouthpiece of the French foreign ministry they need to come to our newsroom and listen to our conversations," he said.

"There is no way we can be the mouthpiece of the French government."

Mr de Pouzilhac, who was chief operating officer of advertising group Havas until June last year, said that research carried out in 12 countries had found that there was demand for another news channel.

"The new opinion formers are very sceptical about information," he said. "They want to receive two or three sources about information before they make their own opinion. It is about comparison.

"We try to see the French difference in the world."

The channel, which will be 50/50-owned by France Televisions and TF1, has signed up a number of carriage deals across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

In the UK, the channel will be added to Sky's basic package, while in the US it will be screened at key locations in Washington and New York such as the United Nations building.

A decision will be made next week on whether it will also carry advertising.

France 24 has also signed up as anchors former Granada TV presenter Marc Owen and former BBC presenter Catherine Galloway.

Mr Owen, who also previously worked for HTV, said the channel would be a good counter to what he described as the "inward-looking" British media.

"I think the media in Britain tends to look inward a lot of the time," he said. "What France 24 will do is create something that moves beyond their agenda."

He said if the channel had been on air during the recent Lebanon crisis, it would have covered things differently than CNN and BBC World by concentrating more on France's solutions to the situation.

"What the French were saying was more relevant than what the Americans or British were saying," he said. "If France 24 had been around then perhaps something on the world agenda might have been heard that would have led to a resolution of it."

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"What the French were saying was more relevant than what the Americans or British were saying"

ROFLMFAO!!!!! :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

[alcina]

Can't really comment on "relevance" but you certainly do get a different perspective watching French news stations. And I can say this because thanks to Satellitehelp I can now receive French tv channels! It is interesting, sometimes, to get a different viewpoint which can be subtly different or wildly different. They do seem to have a thing for aged Brtish rockstars though! Bless, it's quite something to hear Mick Jagger speak French in an interview! Pete Townsend didn't even try though! Can't help but notice that the British Isles seems to fall off the map of Europe when they do weather though...

Alcina

[$ly]

Probably deliberate.

Not known for the subtle approach our Gaullish cousins

Can't wait to see Jazzera when they fire up in English.


L.

[Jimdefruit]

I bet that hurts. Doing anything in English must bring tears to their eyes.

[BGonaSTICK]

Well, both channels should provide a very interesting alternative to the oft-sterile Beeb reports and the mind-crushingly repetitive Sky News coverage.

Those cheeky French though - what arrogance!

And let us never forget who's paying for it. Mouthpiece or not, in cannot - by definition - be totally unbiased as far as I'm concerned. I'm not expecting to get an open invite to their newsrooms either

[nanochickin]

If its broadcast from Paris that would explain a lot. The Pariseans hate everybody who isn't from Paris.

On the other hand i do spend alot of time in the South of France when i get the chance and to be honest i do find them really nice people. They hate people from Paris aswell just incase you are wondering.

I do try and speak their language even though i usually get it completely wrong apart from "Je voudrais une pinte d'Amstel, Merci" which is a must if you want to get a decent pint.

The only problem i have is if i speak french to them they try and reply in English which can result in a rather laughable conversation.

The best one to try is when you installing a dish for you mother in law at her holiday home in france is "Peux j'avoir 100 mètres de CT100 svp? " and the reply is usually along the lines of

"Non. Son ne se conforme pas aux règlements du feu, Vous employez 17VATc en France."

Which basically translates to "Can i have a 100 metre of CT100 please" with the reply of "No you cant use CT100 it will set fire to our houses and is evil. You have to use this french equivilent which is virtually identical but twice the price". >

Yes the French have some funny laws regarding satellite installions but i still find the people in the south of France really nice. :?

Anyway this one should cause some rather interesting replies. :roflmao:

[BGonaSTICK]

I'm not criticising the French, I just found the whole tone of the press release slightly arrogant and patronising.

The public will decide how good it is, not the people producing it!

As for satellite installations, next time, take your evil CT100 with you!