a public that it is estimated that 40 million

Highly anticipated, the French international news channel (or CFII, waiting for a new name to be known in a few days) should, as expected, begin its programmes between November 15 and December 15. Initiated earlier this year, the advance project, although there is much to do. "We are behind nothing", assured Alain de Pouzilhac, the President of the Executive Board of the string. The starting premise, a broadcast on two channels, all in French and the other 75 French and 25 French, must still be funded. Alain de Pouzilhac and its two directors, Ulysse Gosset and Jean-Yves Bonsergent, negotiate with the State budget extension of 8 to 10 million euros per year to total 80 million in 2007, which will allow a broadcast in English. An extension which must be endorsed by Parliament.

The other large construction site, it is its dissemination, at the time of the proliferation of channels. "We are currently negotiating with the operators of satellite, cable and ADSL, for the dissemination of these two channels on a vast territory covering Europe up to the Urals, the Middle East, Africa and the coast is the United States," said Jean-Yves Bonsergent. The chain wants to reach 76 million homes in countries covered, and it targets the opinion leaders (business leaders, politicians, students...), a public that it is estimated that 40 million. A third channel, a stall in Arabic of four hours a day, could be launched in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in the summer 2007. And a broadcast in Spanish could see the day in 2008-2010. "The string will be a single editorial line, namely an open mind on international issues and a decryption of what is happening in France an international audience.". Specifically, we will make the same newspapers simultaneously in two languages. "Need to do this, a single writing perfectly bilingual and two presenters of the newspapers", explains Ulysse Gosset, in charge of writing.

A newspaper per hour

Chain will thus produce log ten minutes in the two languages, every hour. With, between these newspapers, plateau analysing emissions, decrypting and putting into perspective the French news, European, Middle-

Eastern or African. Is that an alternative to the BBC, the BBC World service is poised to launch a string in Arabic, the CFII claims a "French spirit" in the treatment of information. Ulysse Gosset reiterated yesterday, a round table organized by the BBC, that the CFII will not chain the French Government, is playing his credibility, but that it will reflect the "values and the French spirit". "It is not to win the war of information, but we want to exist and participate", he said. The menu of the chain, who wishes to give a "rhythmic, colourful and forceful" program: policy but also great economy, the stock market and sport.

An ambitious work that requires the creation of a drafting of 160 to 180 journalists, support of the resources of the two co-shareholders France Télévisions and TF1, but also very strong with the AFP, RFI partnerships and TV5 Monde. "A third of the images will be produced in own, one-third will come from our shareholders and a third-party partners." "In addition, we consider the creation of a very tight network of corresponding freelancers around the world," adds Ulysse Gosset. For his writing, the chain received 3.200 applications. The chosen tune at the end of the summer in new premises of Issy les Moulineaux.

If the France was very overdue for its international channel, CFII project intends to catch up by doubling the string of an Internet site, which is as important as television. In French and English, sites that might be launched before the string, will allow a very high interactivity with the latter and will offer information to the application services. In a sector where major brands such as CNN, the BBC or Al-Jazeera occupy the front of the stage and also leverage the interactivity, challenges abound for the CFII.