Ministers ‘save’ TV5 Monde

Michael Hedges November 10, 2007

TV5 Monde partners have checked French government efforts to consolidate its international broadcasting. Swiss, Belgians and Canadians want the French-language television channel to remain a partnership and not become ‘the voice of France.’

Meeting in Lucerne, Switzerland (Friday November 9) government Ministers responsible for cultural affairs faced down, for now, the French governments strong suggestion that TV5, France24 and Radio France Internationale (RFI) should be, in some way, consolidated into a single media service.  “We love this baby and we want to protect it,” said French-speaking community of Belgium Minister for culture and audio-visual Fadila Laanan. “TV5 must not bare the cost of French audio-visual projects.”

“The Government of Canada believes that TV5 Monde is an important tool for promoting French-speaking values throughout the world,” said Canadian Minister of Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages Josée Verner.

TV5 Monde (World) is a joint venture among French-language public broadcasters in France, Switzerland, Canada, Quebec and Belgium, who launched the channel in 1984 as TV5. France pays about 75% of the costs. It claims to be the 4th largest global television network, following the BBC, CNN and MTV, and is seen in 200 countries world-wide. The channel was rebranded in 2006 as TV5 Monde. Each of the partner broadcasters contribute programming. Switzerland has held the rotating chairmanship since 2006. Canada will chair the partnership for two years beginning in 2008.

"Bringing together TV5 Monde and France 24 remains one track among others," said French Secretary of State representative Jean-Marie Bockel. “President Sarkozy is very interested in this issue.” Dr. Bockel also referred to the partnership as “variable geometry.”

Yes, indeed, President Sarkozy is very interested. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has been mandated the task of “necessary reorganizations,” as the French President wrote to Minister Kouchner in August. “Our external audiovisual policy is a major challenge for the influence of France and the spread of its language.”

In response, Mr. Kouchner promised a “common architecture” for TV5, France 24 and RFI by the end of the year.

Grousing about the French governments international broadcasting is not new territory. From the day more than a decade ago when former President Jacques Chirac proposed an international television channel to rival the BBC and CNN, now on the air as France 24, internal squabbling has persisted. Even the unions, normally delighted by more government-funded jobs, refer to Chirac’s “whim.”

Bowing to pressure for some sort of action RFI president Antoine Schwarz, who demurred from direct consolidation with France 24, recently (November 2) suggested creating a joint Web-site for the three external broadcasting services. But he also said merging the organizations would be a “very good idea.” He favors “working together,” not “a new brand.”

In Lucerne Dr. Bockel extracted from the TV5 Monde partners a promise to increase their financial participation. And, as such, they are buying time. New proposals will be drafted and another partners meeting will be held early in 2008.