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in our Tower of Babel in Issy-les-Moulineaux! So, when we are
on set, we enjoy debating, in all our languages, drawing the line
between facts and opinions, without censoring anyone and without
relinquishing any of the democratic values we lean on to examine
the here and now, other places and sometimes the future: freedom,
equality between genders and among all human beings, rejecting
discrimination, embracing secularity and respecting all religions as
well as those who don’t have one. This is what freedom of thought
means to us. And freedom, after a global pandemic during which
our audience’s trust has never been stronger, also means laughing
together, being able to take a step back and make room for others,
to feel the excitement for an election, a match, a concert, a festival,
an exhibition, an artist or a great chef all together on universal time.
Universal time is the time our channels and stations are synchronised
to, broadcasting live 24/7. Watch and listen to the world to gain
insight and take action. This world to understand and act. This, in a
nutshell, is our purpose.
■ France 24 x 4
France 24 is the latest international news channel at France Médias
Monde, France’s most recent public sector broadcasting group. It
has become well established over f ifteen years and now broadcasts
24 hours a day in four languages: English, French, Arabic and
Spanish. It’s constantly developing its studios’ responsiveness, and
in-depth analysis, while enhancing its programs by tailoring them to
the various geographic and cultural areas around the 481.7 million
homes it reaches in 184 countries. Its expertise, strengthened by the
multicultural dimension of its multilingual organisation, its network
of correspondents on every continent, its ability to cover every
crisis, and the group values it captures in images, have earned it
respect around the globe. Some 100 million people watch one of
its channels every week (no doubt more, as we measure audiences
in less than 50% of the broadcast countries for cost reasons), to
which we can add those who watch them in countless hotels,
airports, international organisations, Alliance Française centres,
institutes and universities that have chosen to show France 24. This
channel, which has emerged with the connected generation, is a
digital success both in its own environments and on social media
and is often the most watched French channel (and sometimes the
most watched channel full-stop, like in the summer of 2021 when
it overtook BBC World on YouTube). In this way, France 24 enables
all generations to “watch the world”, living up to its tagline, “‘Liberté,
Égalité, Actualité’”, or “Liberty, Equality, News’” Its success is
helping to make France Médias Monde a powerful group that really
has a place in the international media landscape. And the 251 million
people and counting who trust us, follow us and interact with us
weekly around the world really solidify who we are!
Marie-Christine Saragosse
Chairwoman and Chief Executive Off icer