France 24: Opposing the Anglo-Saxons With American Technology

From the desk of Luc Van Braekel on Wed, 2006-12-06 17:06

In a few hours, France 24 is being launched on the internet, to be followed tomorrow with the launch of its two television channels. France 24 is the new state-funded news channel that is to bring "the French viewpoint" to the world and intends to challenge CNN and BBC World. The website will be trilingual from the start, in English, French and Arabic. On television there will be two parallel channels, one in English and one in French. Arabic and Spanish broadcasts are planned for the future. The new station is the brainchild of French president Jacques Chirac. Frustrated by the dominance of CNN and other "Anglo-Saxon" media on matters that influence world opinion, Chirac announced his plans during his election campaign of 2002.

 

TELEVISION 2.0


Me, through the cameras of France 24

With a staff of 380 and an annual budget of 86 million euros, France 24 is smaller than CNN or BBC World. But by using the power of the internet, the blogosphere and video sharing services, France 24 is hoping to compete in a smart and innovative way. Streaming video will be an important ingredient of France 24's website, as well as interaction with its audience. As Stanislas Leridon, the internet director of France 24, puts it: "every article and every piece of video on our website will be open for comments from readers and viewers".

Last Saturday I was invited to visit France 24 together with eleven other bloggers from around the world. I took pictures and made a video report. The video report focuses on technical stuff, like the hardware and software used.

While France 24 spreads French values around the world, most of its technical infrastructure is American: computers from HP, office software from Microsoft, video and news editing software from Avid, web content management from Magnolia, video hosting from Akamai, and cameras from Thomson Grass Valley. European viewers will be able to watch France 24 on the Hotbird, Astra and Eurobird satellites, on cable and through DSL providers. In Washington DC the station is on digital cable and on a digital terrestrial frequency. But the French government is probably hoping to gain the most from the leverage of its new channel in Africa and the Middle East, where France has historic and strategic ties.

 

"WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO SEE"
France 24 wants "to show opinion leaders worldwide what they are not supposed to see, know or understand about all aspects of international news". This animated promo video shows sheds some light on what this may mean. French politics have always sympathized with the antiglobalist movement (or altermondialistes, as they are called in France) which they see as an ally against the dominance of Anglo-Saxon capitalism and as a support for their rather Colbertist views on trade and competition.


Bloggers, with staff of France 24 (photo copyright Emmanuel Vivier)

I asked one of the journalists if she could give an example of news "that we were not supposed to see or know" when we are watching CNN. "Take the Orange Revolution in Ukraine", she answered. "It was supported by American money, but you don't hear that on CNN". I asked if France 24 would be critical of French policy. Rwanda's president Kagame was recently indicted by a French court. Would France 24 interview him and give him the opportunity to present his viewpoint, I asked. "Sure, we are already working on that". But I still doubt whether we will see reports about the practices of the French oil company Total in Burma. I'll have to watch France 24 closely and judge the product by its reporting.

 

AUTHENTIC VS. TAILOR-MADE

I don't like CNN International, I prefer Fox News. Not for its ideology, but for its authenticity. The version of CNN that non-Americans see, is totally different from the USA version of CNN. Fox News, on the other hand, broadcasts the same programs all over the world: everyone can see what Americans are seeing. I liked CNN International when they were just starting in the late eighties, because they had to air their US product "CNN Headline News" in Europe due to a lack of staff for their international network. I prefer BBC News 24 over BBC World. Yes, I listen to the BBC World Service, but I would prefer BBC Radio 4 or Radio 5 live if reception were better. I don't like television channels or radio stations that are tailor-made "for the outside world". I prefer to watch or listen to the domestic versions. I want to see what people in foreign countries see, not what their government wants foreigners to see. If I want to know the French viewpoint, I prefer a selection of the television news that French viewers are getting. Oh, that already exists: it is called TV5, and it brings a selection of news and other programs from French-speaking broadcasters in France, Switserland, Canada and Belgium. A channel with a mix of programs from existing French television networks, with English dubbing or subtitles, would be cheaper and - in my opinion - more credible than a channel that is especially made "for the outside". But then again, a lot of other countries are doing this: the US with at least seven tailor-made radio and television stations targeted towards different parts of the world, the UK with BBC World and the BBC World Service, Germany with Deutsche Welle TV which has been on American cable (in English) for years. So, this new French channel is not unique and comes late compared with similar initiatives of other countries, but this may give the station a competitive advantage, due to the integration with the web that is woven into its fabric.

take a drag

Submitted by joey_jojo_jr on Mon, 2006-12-11 19:46.

this should be interesting. how are they going to keep this running 24 hours a day when the staff need their required smoking breaks and three hour lunches?

Some more . . .

Submitted by Charles Martel 732 on Thu, 2006-12-07 14:55.

Some others most of you have undoubtedly heard:

France has neither winter, nor summer, nor morals. Apart from these
drawbacks it is a fine country. France has usually been governed by
prostitutes.
- Mark Twain

I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French
one behind me.
- General George S. Patton

Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without your
accordion.
- Norman Schwartzkopf

We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it.
- Marge Simpson

As far as I'm concerned, war always means failure.
- Jacques Chirac, President of France
As far as France is concerned, you're right.
- Rush Limbaugh

The only time France wants us to go to war is when the German Army is
sitting in Paris sipping coffee.
- Regis Philbin

The French are a smallish, monkey-looking bunch and not dressed
anybetter,
on average, than the citizens of Baltimore. True, you can sit outside in
Paris
and drink little cups of coffee, but why this is more stylish than
sitting inside
aad drinking large glasses of whisky I don't know.
- P.J. O'Rourke (1989)

You know, the French remind me a little bit of an aging actress of
the1940s
who was still trying to dine out on her looks but doesn't have the face
for it.
- John McCain, U.S. Senator from Arizona

You know why the French don't want to bomb Saddam Hussein? Because he
hates America, he loves mistresses and wears a beret. He is French,
people.
- Conan O'Brien

I don't know why people are surprised that France won't help us get
Saddam
out of Iraq. After all, France wouldn't help us get Hitler out of France
either.
- Jay Leno
------------------------------
The last time the French asked for 'more proof' it came marching into
Paris under a German flag.
- David Letterman

Only thing worse than a Frenchman is a Frenchman who lives in Canada
- Ted Nugent

War without France would be like World War II.
- Unknown

The favorite bumper sticker in Washington D.C. right now is one that
says 'First Iraq, then France.
- Tom Brokaw

What do you expect from a culture and a nation that exerted more of its
national will fighting against Disneyworld and Big Macs than against the
Nazis?
- Dennis Miller

It is important to remember that the French have always been there
when they needed us.
- Alan Kent

They've taken their own precautions against al-Qa'ida. To prepare for
an attack, each Frenchman is urged to keep duct tape, a white flag,
and a three-day supply of mistresses in the house.
- Argus Hamilton

Somebody was telling me about the French Army rifle that was being
advertised
on eBay the other day -- the description was Never shot. Dropped once.

- Rep. Roy Blunt, MO

The French will only agree to go to war when we've proven we've found
truffles in Iraq.
- Dennis Miller

Raise your right hand if you like the French... raise both hands if
you are French.
- Unknown

Q. What did the mayor of Paris say to the German Army as they entered
the city during WWII?
A. Table for 100,000 m'sieur?

Do you know how many Frenchmen it takes to defend Paris? It's not
known, it's never been tried.
- Rep. R Blount, MO

Do you know it only took Germany three days to conquer France in WWII?
And that's because it was raining.
- John Xereas, Manager, DC Improv

The AP and UPI reported that the French Government announced after the
London bombings that it has raised its terror alert level from Run to
Hide. The only two higher levels in France are Surrender and
Collaborate. The rise in the alert level was precipitated by a recent
fire which destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively
disabling their military.

French Ban Fireworks at Euro Disney (AP)
Paris, March 5, 2003
The French Government announced today that it is imposing a ban on the
use of fireworks at Euro Disney. The decision comes the day after a
nightly fireworks display at the park, located just 30 miles outside
of Paris, caused the soldiers at a nearby French Army garrison to
surrender to a group of Czech tourists.

This is too easy!

Submitted by Charles Martel 732 on Thu, 2006-12-07 14:52.

The French viewpoint can only be appreciated by raising both hands above one's head or while hoisting the white flag of surrender.

Another Statist Utopia

Submitted by Bruno on Wed, 2006-12-06 22:36.

This nothing more than the classical statist utopia we've accustomed to, with Chirac and the french left."Faire rayonner la France", "tenir son rang" "affirmer sa difference" and other slogan-like stupidities that you hear all the time on the french media...
France24 will probably try to please the muslim/third-world audience with subtle antiamericanism and the likes, using one more time the appeasing mode and taking lots of precaution not to offend the many mini-dictators and kinglets of the south, Hizbollah, Hamas, Iran , Syria, Algeria etc...
Expect lots of fun.

France only wants to be noticed

Submitted by Zen Master on Wed, 2006-12-06 22:24.

Chirac worries that the ‘French point of view’ will not to heard by the world of public opinion. He worries that French is not being spoken in many countries. He thinks that French will become a ‘lost language’ about like Latin. Chirac worries ‘obsessively’ about the decline of the French language. France will be remembered if they ever become successful again.

Chichi

Submitted by Armor on Wed, 2006-12-06 23:11.

He worries that French is not being spoken in many countries. He thinks that French will become a ‘lost language’ about like Latin. Chirac worries ‘obsessively’ about the decline of the French language.

But he won't allow the breton language to appear (very locally) on french television more than a few minutes every week.

Orange revolution and independence

Submitted by marcfrans on Wed, 2006-12-06 22:11.

Wouldn't one expect a decent French journalist to be more concerned about the absence of democracy in a large European country than about "American money" promoting democracy in Ukraine?  And, wouldn't one hope that also French (and other) money would be used to promote that goal?  She obviously got her values 'screwed up', and cannot see the forest for the trees.

CNN versus France24. 'Flanders Fields' is right, it is leftist-globalists versus French nationalism. 

Moreover, CNN was started by a rich American naive-leftie, Turner (of Fonda fame), and is independent from government.  It certainly does not represent "the American viewpoint", but 1 American viewpoint.  How independent would France24 be from government? 

Chirac v The Wolf

Submitted by Flanders Fields on Wed, 2006-12-06 19:24.

It may be interesting to see.  Francocentrists versus Leftist-globalists.  Meanwhile, we can all go somewhere else and find out about the news as we have to do now.  If they have Chirac wrestling Wolf Blitzer to increase ratings, maybe then is when I will watch.

Where is that remote to change to Fox News?

We already know.

Submitted by Kevin in Dallas on Wed, 2006-12-06 17:44.

To discover "the French viewpoint" all one needs to do is visit the WWII Cemeteries in Normandy. 

Kevin in Dallas

Oh boy!.....

Submitted by oiznop on Wed, 2006-12-06 17:36.

A media propaganda machine from Frenchistan!.....This should be big fun!..:-|....Yoy!...I wonder just how much anti-American puke they will be flinging???.....Call your cable operator for details!......