France

[FR] Creation of a French International News Channel

IRIS 2006-1:1/24

Philie Marcangelo-Leos

Légipresse

After extensive consideration of the matter on the part of the Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Communication, and the public- and private sector operators in the audiovisual sector, the signing on 29 November of an agreement by the Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin, TF1 and France Télévisions should make it possible to create a French international news channel (Chaîne Française d'Information Internationale - CFII) by the end of 2006. A joint company held equally by France Télévisions and TF1 will be created, governed by a “shareholders' pact” and articles of association that will guarantee that it is run properly. The “shareholders” pact” between the public holding company and TF1 has now been signed and an order has approved France Télévisions taking up a EUR 18 500 holding in the capital of the company being constituted with a view to editing the CFII; this figure corresponds to 50% of the company's capital. The programmes, comprising news bulletins, magazine programmes and studio broadcasts, in French and other languages, will be broadcast by satellite, cable and Internet to Europe, Africa, the Near and Middle East, and then at a later stage to Asia, Latin America and North America. According to Dominique Baudis, Chairman of the national audiovisual regulatory authority (Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel - CSA), the channel could also be included in terrestrially-broadcast digital television packages. In addition to the EUR 65 million provided for in the draft budget for 2006, a further EUR 15 million is to be voted under the 2005 budget; this is intended to go some way towards equipping and running the channel, which will subsequently receive EUR 70 million per year. The purpose of the new channel, which would complement the present international audiovisual offer (TV5, RFI and AFP), is to provide pluralist information on world current affairs and a window onto French culture and discussion on matters of concern to society as a whole.