President Jacques Chirac, addressing his cabinet, said that France "must be at the forefront of the global battle of images, that's why I am resolved that our country should have an international news channel," according to government spokesman Jean-François Copé. Chirac [also] stated that "the goal is to show everywhere in the world the values of France and its vision of the world," according to Copé, and promised that it would have the public financing "commensurate with its ambition."
The French International News Network (CFII) -- known colloquially as "CNN àla française" -- will be run by a joint company owned by the leading private French television broadcaster TF1 and the public broadcaster France Televisions, Communications Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres told a media conference. France Televisions will be in the driving chair of the entity, whose 240 staff will produce programmes beamed to Europe, Africa and the Middle East at first, then later also to Asia, Latin America and North America. News will be provided around the clock in French, though the plans also call for a four-hour slot of English programming and the option of adding Arabic and Spanish. |