France to Launch of English-Language (24 Hour) News Channel

[Up2Late]

(Funny how this isn't getting much coverage in the U.S.Corporation Controlled, so-called MSM, isn't it?)

France to Launch of English-Language News Channel

Listen to this story...(at link)
by Anita Elash

Morning Edition, December 5, 2006 · France has an answer for America's 24-hour news channels.
The country is launching a TV-news service of its own.
France 24 is a partnership between a commercial network and the
state-run France Televisions. It'll feature two news channels,
one in French, and the other primarily in English.

(more at link) <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6580352>

Here's the story in the International Herald Tribune for those who prefer reading:

France 24 brings Gallic touch to all-news television

The Associated Press
Published: December 5, 2006

PARIS: France goes head-to-head with CNN and the BBC from Wednesday with the launch of its state-funded 24/7 news channel, part of President Jacques Chirac's efforts to make his country's voice heard.

France 24 will broadcast two channels, one in French and the other mostly in English. "Our mission is to cover worldwide news with French eyes," CEO Alain de Pouzilhac told Associated Press Television News. He said the channel will emphasize in-depth reporting and debate, culture and "l'art de vivre" — the art of living.

The channel launches its trilingual Web site — with video on demand and content in French, English and Arabic — at a gala in Paris' Tuileries Garden on Wednesday evening. Chirac is to attend.

It will transmit to Europe, the Middle East and Africa via satellite, initially reaching an estimated 75 million households in more than 90 countries. France 24 expects to expand coverage in North America and Asia, and add Arabic and Spanish-language broadcasts, in coming years.

(more at link) <http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/05/europe/EU_GEN_France_News_A_La_Francaise.php>

:hi:NOTE: If you ever needed any evidence that we DO NOT have a "Free Press" in the U.S., and that there IS RW Media Conspiracy, here it is! The IHT story is from the ASSOCIATED PRESS! Yet Googleing it, I get ZERO other U.S. based Newspapers or "news" Channels or "news" sites who are running this story!

[SoCalDem]

1. The really tragic part is this.. CNN-I is lots better than the version WE get here

and France has realized ITS shortcomings and is trying to counter-balance it..

[Up2Late]

3. I agree, but I have noticed that it is beginning to get polluted by the U.S. ver. CNN lately.

I've been very disappointed lately, when I tune in CNN International and find "Larry King Live" or Wolf Blitzers's "Situation Room" on there too.

I bet it will be like pulling teeth, though, to get U.S. Mega-Corp Cable providers to start carrying this Channel. I bet they will claim that they already have too many "news" channels or that "americans" don't want France telling them what the News is.

[confludemocrat]

15. Guys like Jim Clancy on CNN-I act as corp media commissars on there anyway

thus, CNN-I was a shade better, but his bird dogging of major stories and invoking with a domestic CNN flavor intrudes way too often, so all-in-all CNN International blows

[MADem]

2. Give it a day and see if it migrates. If not, then draw the obvious conclusion. NT

[Up2Late]

5. You mean about why NONE of the U.S. Newspapers and "news" Channels have picked this up?

Because if so, I can tell you from years of experience that, if the AP wants a story to get noticed, they place it in dozens of Newspaper and "news" channel websites almost instantly. I'm not sure, but I think they have it set up to happen automatically, but this one is following the usual pattern of the stories it really didn't want seen.

[MADem]

21. Well, the truth of the matter is this--it's a EUROPEAN news channel

Not an American one. It's owned by the French STATE. Thus, I wouldn't expect to see it above the fold on the front page of the NYT, because, to be honest, the average American could really give a shit--that's not 'conspiracy' that's just a judgment call on the part of an editor. And seeing as we do have a little bit of news today (the Gates business; sobbing Poppy) it's not as though it is a slow news day needing to be fluffed out with a story that will fit anytime in the next two weeks or even longer. This bit of news has a longer shelf life than an Amber Alert, frankly.

But that said, your paranoia WAS misplaced--see?? I was right, it just took awhile to migrate:

The WASHINGTON POST: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/05/AR2006120500910.html
France Launches 24/7 News Channel

By JENNY BARCHFIELD
The Associated Press
Tuesday, December 5, 2006; 3:48 PM

And here's a link to sixty some-odd other articles in other outlets on the very same subject: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&tab=wn&ncl=1111688199

Ahhh, but WAIT...there's MORE. Check THIS out--The Boston Globe had this story TWO WEEKS AGO: http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2006/11/16/french_govt_readies_tv_news_channel/

French govt. readies TV news channel
By Angela Doland, Associated Press Writer | November 16, 2006

If the government is gonna start censoring, they aren't going to do it with bullshit stories like this one. The censorship happens with stories about the true cost of what's happening in Iraq, not what's going on in France.

[davidwparker]

4. I believe this will be carried on Dish Network. I was called by them

since I subscribe to http://www.tv5monde.com/TV5Site/programmes/accueil_continent.php">TV5 Monde. They stated they will be carrying more French channels and asked if I would like to subscribe to the new package. One mais oui later, I was signed up. They are suppose to start carrying the channels this month.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. Not everything is a conspiracy.

NOTE: If you ever needed any evidence that we DO NOT have a "Free Press" in the U.S., and that there IS RW Media Conspiracy, here it is! The IHT story is from the ASSOCIATED PRESS! Yet Googleing it, I get ZERO other U.S. based Newspapers or "news" Channels or "news" sites who are running this story!

Which makes a lot of sense, because as the IHT article states of the service:

It will transmit to Europe, the Middle East and Africa via satellite, initially reaching an estimated 75 million households in more than 90 countries. France 24 expects to expand coverage in North America and Asia, and add Arabic and Spanish-language broadcasts, in coming years.

In other words, it's not a story in the US yet, because it does not have coverage in the US yet.

Before I get accused of France-bashing, let the record show that I watch the nightly French TV news show 20 Heures on northern Virgina's MHz, channel 56 every time I can, if it's coming in well.

France 2

Also, I can listen to the outre-mer service of Radio France Internationale on the shortwave.

Not everything is a conspiracy.

[Mike Daniels]

8. Thank you for your clear-eyed approach to this

Until the channel is avaiable on US cable it doesn't have all that much news value in the United States.

I can see it pulling a mention in business publications but that's all it ranks for now in the US.

[iverglas]

9. well, that's true ...

Until the channel is avaiable on US cable it doesn't have all that much news value in the United States.

... if the only news worth knowing about for USAmericans is news that happens in the US.

This is a rather significant development on the international scene for a number of reasons, and reflects a number of interesting things about the modern world.

But if it ain't gonna be on USAmerican teevee screens, well then.

Toronto's Globe and Mail, which styles itself Canada's national newspaper and is a newspaper of record here, currently has its Doug Saunders roaming Europe and reporting on interesting stuff in semi-column form, so this isn't quite a standard news report; I suspect the news is just a little new and will get some wider coverage in more places.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061118.CHIRAC18/TPStory/International/columnists

ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX, FRANCE -- Here are today's top stories: The election in the Congo has led to instability; a Middle East peace initiative was launched by Spain, France and Italy; and there is deep disagreement in Beaujolais over whether this season's Nouveaux are damaging the image of the more palatable Fleurie and Juliénas wines.

That, at least, is how the world looked yesterday from the brand-new newsroom of France 24, a government-funded all-news network, invented by President Jacques Chirac, designed to offer the world a distinctly Gallic take on events -- in English.

When it starts broadcasting around the world on Dec. 6 -- it will be on streaming video on the Web in Canada, and cable TV in major U.S. cities and in Britain -- this newsroom in the outskirts of Paris will join dozens of English-language news networks filling the cable-TV and satellite waves, most recently the English version of al-Jazeera, which launched earlier this month.

(I too get and watch TV5, mentioned by another poster -- on basic cable in Canada, where of course we English speakers get bazillions of US network and cable stations on basic cable and others on extended cable and pay TV.)

[Mike Daniels]

11. I noticed that the story was posted in the paper on A20

Not being familiar with the publication in question I have no idea how big the A section is.

However, using the Washington Post as a reference A-20 is pretty damn near the back of the section.

Going simply by position of the story, it doesn't appear that the publication neccessarily considered it a spotlight story of mass signficance either.

[iverglas]

13. as I did say

The story appeared in semi-column form -- Doug Saunders is roaming Europe and reporting back on things of interest. The format is not quite "news", and not quite column.

I didn't actually suggest that the news was of earth-shaking significance anywhere, and I would not expect to see it on a front page of any daily outside France. (Hmm; I hope France did issue press releases in languages other than French ...) A-20 might be the actual (outside) back page of the section, not a bad location, but most people who read the Globe read the front section pretty thoroughly in any event; in any event, I do, although I don't read it daily.

Nonetheless, the Globe did consider the news to be of sufficient interest to its readers -- the Canadian intellectual and financial élite and those who fancy themselves so, and those who simply like to stay informed -- that it published a report about this development.

The fact that France is directly challenging English language / US hegemony over the dissemination of "news" (and, obviously, views) worldwide truly is an interesting development.

[Up2Late]

10. No, but this clearly IS. Wake up.

Do you know what the International Harald Tribune is? It's an American Newspaper that was bought by the New York Times years ago and is now only distributed in Europe, a very convenient place to go on record as reporting this, yet limit the number of American's who will actually see the story.

And please explain to me why the U.S. based ASSOCIATED PRESS, which is the most widely used wire service in the U.S., did write a story on this, yet the story either was not distributed to it's U.S. subscribers or was not picked up and run by them?

National Public Radio (link in OP) didn't have any trouble seeing this as News that their listeners would be interested in. Are you trying to tell me that the so-called "Liberal Elite" who listen to NPR are the only people who would care to hear about this, or do AP/U.S. newspaper readers just like being ignorant about World News?

And if you read some of the posts above, it sounds like DishTV has already made plans to start carrying it in the next few days. Also, more links to info below:

France enters crowded English-language news arena

Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:49pm ET148

By Charles Masters

PARIS (Hollywood Reporter) - At 8:30 p.m. French time on December 6, the newest voice in the international news arena will begin speaking to the world from Paris. And for most of the audience, it won't be speaking French....

...In a symbolic move to mark out its difference, France 24 will bow exclusively on the Internet before rolling out on cable and satellite across much of Europe, the Middle East and Africa a day later. France 24 will start with a potential audience of about 190 million. U.S. distribution will initially be limited to a feed in the U.N. building in New York, but the channel is finalizing negotiations with Comcast's cable network in the Washington D.C. area. Continued... <http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=industryNews&storyID=2006-11-28T024917Z_01_N27157129_RTRIDST_0_INDUSTRY-FRANCE-DC.XML&WTmodLoc=EntNewsIndustry_C1_%5BFeed%5D-7>

Or at the Miami Herald .com

Posted on Fri, Nov. 17, 2006

France to launch 24-hour TV channel

A state-funded, all-news channel will debut on Dec. 6 in France, first via Internet streaming and one day later by satellite.

BY ANGELA DOLAND
Associated Press

ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX, France - A year ago, President Jacques Chirac proclaimed his ambition for an all-news channel to broadcast France's vision and values across the globe 24 hours a day.

Media executives and reporters have spent a hectic year filling out the details -- namely, what exactly is the ``French vision?''

Viewers will find out Dec. 6, when France 24 goes on the air, first via Internet streaming and one day later by satellite. It has a tough challenge ahead. To prove it is more than just the government's pet project, the state-funded France 24 must carve out a viewership in a crowded market that includes CNN International, BBC World and, as of this week, Al-Jazeera's new English-language channel.

France 24 will broadcast one channel in French and another mostly in English -- a sign of new pragmatism in a country known for protecting and promoting its language....

(more at link) <http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/international/16032623.htm>

But maybe you're right. Maybe we should just trust the U.S. Mega-Corp Controlled "Mainstream Media" to give us their honest and un-tainted version of the news, because they've NEVER lied to us or not reported the unvarnished truth in the past.:eyes:

[mahatmakanejeeves]

17. Conspiracy Theory Redux

Do you know what the International Harald Tribune is? It's an American Newspaper that was bought by the New York Times years ago and is now only distributed in Europe, a very convenient place to go on record as reporting this, yet limit the number of American's who will actually see the story.

This is why they invented libraries, encyclopedias, Wikipedia, the Internets, and so many other places where you can look things up.

Wikipedia entry, International Herald Tribune

The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 33 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 180 countries. The IHT is part of The New York Times Company. It has been based in Paris since its founding in 1887.

Gee. A newspaper based in Paris finds it of interest that the French government is starting up an international satellite broadcast network. Imagine the odds.

[Eurobabe]

7. Combien baiser frais est-il celui ?

(LOL, I love Babelfish)

I'll look for it right now on my satellite dish (I'm in Germany). Has to be better than CNN Intl., I agree, it's becoming polluted by some evil influence lately.

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. And now there's about 50 US sites running the AP story or similar

perhaps they thought it was better to run it closer to the actual launch.

[iverglas]

14. yup

http://news.google.ca/news?hl=en&ned=ca&ie=UTF-8&ncl=1111688199&filter=0

I see the WP, the LA Times, MSN Money, Minneapolis, Jackson, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Iowa ... -- all with the same report. Just wasn't "breaking news", it seems.

(My own earlier post wasn't meant as a criticism of the delay in picking up the story, but as comment on the suggestion that the story was of no interest to people in the US.)

[suffragette]

16. Looks like it will be streamed as well

Thanks for posting this, Up2late.
I have been missing Le Journal since it stopped airing here.
After reading about this and searching on it, I found a site which notes it will be streamed online beginning tomorrow http://france24.wordpress.com/2006/12/05/tomorrow-829-pm-paris-time/
and the site itself. http://www.france24.com/
Can't wait to watch.

[philosophie_en_rose]

18. For a minute, I thought this would be a joke about Faux News.

:bounce:

[Robbien]

19. Recommended. This is a cable news station I would pay to see

Too bad no American would be allowed to pay to see it.

[MADem]

22. Well, COMCAST customers in DC will, according to the article.

If it takes off there the odds are good it will be offered elsewhere. They don't turn down an opportunity to make a buck.

[w4rma]

20. Very good. (nt)

[confludemocrat]

23. I'll be calling Dish Network to ask for it-why wait, get some demand going.

[4theheart]

24. Sounds interesting and...

If they get Melissa Theuriau as a broadcaster I wouldn't object....

[La_Fourmi_Rouge]

25. Awesome!

Right now the only thing available on Comcast is 1/2 hour of "Le Journal" each day, at 5:30am. Cannot wait for the US feed. It will be a valuable education for the miniscule portion of the American public that ultimately views it.

Something like 95% of Americans who visit France go only to Paris and environs. And that is out of the approximately 10% of Americans who even possess a passport! Therefore one can reasonably conclude that the average US citizen knows exactly Squat about French culture, political discourse, or Socialism, for all the facile nation bashing that goes on in the MSM.

These days some feel themselves knowledgable because they may have seen a few hours of the Tour on OSN, or caught a Rick Steve's special on PBS.

[JerseygirlCT]

26. I thought this was interesting in light of the fierce

protectiveness of the French gov't over the years of their language, and the in-roads (unwelcome to them) of English into the same. Anyone remember reading about requirements for radio stations, etc. to broadcast a certain percentage of music in French?

I say any new legitimate sources of news is a good thing. Competition is a very good thing in this arena.