France 24
Today France 24 makes its debut. The network is an effort funded by the French government to create a "French CNN" that will counterbalance the dominance of CNN International and BBC World in 24 hour global news.
A political effort to the core, the network was created in response to the Iraq War crisis of 2003 when anti-war voices were practically censored in an international news media driven by American and British offerings.
France 24 is really two networks- one in English and one in French with a third network in Arabic due in mid-2007.
Both networks will be available in live streaming format at France24.com starting at 2:30 PM EST.
The english version will also be available on certain cable systems in Manhattan and the Washington, DC metro area, with an eye toward expanding access in the future.
American viewers can expect what might be termed by those weaned on the likes of Sean Hannity and Glen Beck as a shockingly high-brow channel, with a focus on news and intelligent analysis with an international perspective.
Although I haven't yet seen the network, from the various clips floating around on the intetnet it looks like it is shaping up to be an excellent alternetive news source for Americans who want a different perspective on the world, but don't necessarily trust a network like Al Jazeera
What is a 'Global 24 Hour News Network'?
'Global 24 hour news networks' are hugley influential around the world, but largely invisible inside the United States.
These 24 hour news networks are broadcast in multiple countries with a multinational, elite audience in mind. They almost always are carried in hotels and conference centers abroad, are available on satellite services, and on some cable systems in major cities around the world.
At present there are three such networks that are truly global in reach- CNN International, BBC World, and the recent entrant Al Jazeera English.
These networks can be seen on every continent and have a bureau in most major world cities.
There are several smaller networks that are litterally international, but not entirely global. These regional networks inlcude the original Al Jazeera, Hugo Chavez'sTeleSUR, Russia Today, and to a somewhat lesser extent Sky News.
In most countries around the globe these networks are quite influential amongst elite opnion, and in many countries- Al Jazeera in the mideast or BBC World in Africa- they also serve as the sole uncensored alternitive to local news censors.
These networks are almost non-existant in the United States, however, mainly because the market for news here is so large that seperate American-tailored networks such as Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN can be profitable.
Although PBS broadasts a half-hour of BBC World a day, the CNN we see here bears little resemblence to CNN International which is broadcast and edited from London with entirely different anchors (and accents).
This unfortunate circumstance means that American viewers rarely see a truly international prespetive on the news.
CNN International
"CNN à La Française"
An Internet Based Strategy
The decision to stream France 24 live on the internet for free has changed all of that, however.
Today, France 24 becomes the first global 24 hour news channel freely available to an American audience.
The network is a big underdog in the race against CNN, the BBC, and Al Jezeera. Their respetive global news networks all have annual budgets over $500 million dollars, with CNN International spending almost a cool billion.
France 24 will have only about $100 million this year to spend, so it is adopting a novel internet-based strategy to compete with the established players.
Aside from streaming the channel live to viewers around the world, France 24 is delevoping a strategy of directly engaging the bloging world in 24 hour news.
Introducing the new network to the world will be one Joanne Colan, a pioneering vlogger whose site Rocketboom is one of the internet's most vistited vlogs. (a rehersal for today's launch can be viewed here)
France 24 also is planning extensive coverage of the online world. The first edition of their debate show will be focused on the "youtube effect" in global politics, spefically the infamous "Macacca" moment and a simalar incident involving French Presidental candidate Ségolène Royale. (clip here)
France 24's yet-to-be-unveiled trilingual website (French, English, Arab) is also expeted to be innovative and video driven to an extent even CNN can't match:
Ooh la la!
What to Expect
The actual format of the new network will be simalar to existing channels.
Every half hour there will be a ten-minute round up of the day's top news.
The twenty minutes in between will be used for more in depth programmes, including daily programing for sport, culture, "lifestyle","web news" and bussiness plus two debate shows. There will also be weekly shows on health, science, the environment, economics, humanitarian causes, and journalism.
A full schedule is avaliable here.
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The Crisis of 2003
The Most Trusted Name In News?
So why does all this matter?
Put simply public support for the Iraq war was based on one thing: ignorance. It was an ignorance willfully pushed upon the American people by their leaders in government and in the media.
The more diverse the English language media gets, the better informed we Americans are. And the better informed we are- the less likely we are to be led into another Iraq.
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In the run up to the 2003 Iraq war France led the international opposition to what has since been proven to be the worst disaster in US foreign policy history- the Iraq war.
Although a majority of both the world's population and governments opposed the war, France took the lead in pressuring the US in hopes that a strong NATO ally with a 250 year alliance with America would be able to exhert more infulence over American behaviour than less friendly nations such as Egypt or China. (Instead the pricipled opposition to the war inspired gems like this)
The French effort included a full-court diplomatic press in capitols around the world and a global public relations relations campaign, both of which culminated in what even detractors admitted was a brilliant speech by then Forign Affairs Minster Dominque de Villepin on the floor of the UN that passionately defended multilateralism and respect for international law.
Although France succeeded in denying America the UN's approval of the war, the war came regardless and America, Iraq, and the world community are still suffering the consequences today.
There are several reasons for France's failure to prevent the war. The stongest and most obvious are the relitive power structure of the world's nations (the US is #1 by far) and the Bush administration's baffling arrogance and contempt for reason.
But beside these factors outside of France's control was one glaring embarassment for a nation that (albeit often erroneously) likes to think of itself as a world power: France had very little influence in the international news media dominated by the American CNN International and the British BBC World.
In 2003 these two news networks-seperate from their respective parent networks meant for domestic comsumption- had a duopoly over 24 hour international news.
Although they don't have mass audiences, 24 hour international news channels have wildly disproportante influence in the world of foriegn affairs. Available in hotel rooms, confrence centers, and capitol cities the world over, their audience largely consists of diplomats, lobbyists, staffers, politician, and technocrats.
In 2003 these decision makers saw one point of view presented to them by the their media: Iraq is an imminant danger to the United States and the world. Stories abounded about "proof" of WMD, uranium shipments from Niger, contacts with Al Quadea, and numerous other bogus propaganda stories- many known to be false at the time.
This one-sided view of the war presented to the foriegn policy elites is one big reason why the governments of the world were less vocal in thier criticism of the war than their populations.
<font size=3>The Hope in 2006</font>
The Future is Streaming
With any luck France 24 will be a high quality alternitive to the din of cable news blowhards on the domestic networks.
As Americans it is vital for us to understand the world around us, not only as we see it but as our friends and neighbors see it as well.
France 24 can provide us with another perspective on the world, another pair of lenses with which to see.
The more perspectives we have, the more diverse our knowledge, the less likely the American public will be tricked into supporting a war that was clearly built on lies.
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Website
France24.com (will go live at 2:30 EST)
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Painting
Soccer Boy
Unofficial Blog
France 24 Info Blog
News Articles
Seattle Times Article
Guardian Article
Business Week Article (critical of financial prospects)
BBC News article
AP Article
Independent Article