In February last year, I included a piece here called French News Nonsense in which I criticised TF1 for its programmes and lambasted France 2's Television News for its trivial content.
Well last night I watched TF1's 8 O'Clock news; the principal news broadcast of the day.
It began with six minutes devoted to Michael Jackson; naturally I groaned at this and decided to make notes about the rest of the programme.
Things are not improving in the world of French TV - at least in my view. Here's how the emission ran:
After six minutes' worth of the late Michael:-
A piece about the fact that shops in France will be opening on Sundays, France being very laggardly in this regard.
Then a rather long report that I did not understand, but the accompanying video showed some people sawing up logs somewhere in France; hardly earth-shattering.
Another longish piece showing French pompiers (firemen) practising with a helicopter somewhere in the mountains.
This brought us almost up to half-time.
8:15: A two-minute report about restaurant inspections in Corsica
8:17: A few seconds showing Président Sarkozy meeting some blokes at the Elysée Palace
8:17: A minute or so about some mayor of a little place in Northern France who is a member of the right-wing Front Nationale
8:18: Some stuff about the new French social security pay, the RSA
8:19: A report about the death of a Trappist monk in Algeria with some French historical content
8:22: Three minutes, no less, about the Muslim riots in China
8:25: Half a minute (!) to cover President Obama's visit to Moscow to discuss amongst other things the new Start Treaty
8:25: Two and a half minutes about illegal immigration in Greece
8:27:30: Half a minute about Président Sarkozy meeting British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown at Evian and their preparation for the G8 summit
8:28 Two whole minutes about the death of some bloke who was connected with a football club in Marseille
8:30: A brief report on the Tour de France
8:30: A story about the appearance of Jeanne Moreau at Avignon; two minutes
8:32: Finally a report about a fashion show that lasted about a minute or so -
And that was your TF1 news programme for Monday, 6th July 2009.
Links:
TF1
France2
I do not feel the need to comment further except to say that I cannot even watch tonight since TF1 and France 2 seem to have given themselves over entirely to covering Michael Jackson's obsequies!
Until the next time
Well last night I watched TF1's 8 O'Clock news; the principal news broadcast of the day.
It began with six minutes devoted to Michael Jackson; naturally I groaned at this and decided to make notes about the rest of the programme.
Things are not improving in the world of French TV - at least in my view. Here's how the emission ran:
After six minutes' worth of the late Michael:-
A piece about the fact that shops in France will be opening on Sundays, France being very laggardly in this regard.
Then a rather long report that I did not understand, but the accompanying video showed some people sawing up logs somewhere in France; hardly earth-shattering.
Another longish piece showing French pompiers (firemen) practising with a helicopter somewhere in the mountains.
This brought us almost up to half-time.
8:15: A two-minute report about restaurant inspections in Corsica
8:17: A few seconds showing Président Sarkozy meeting some blokes at the Elysée Palace
8:17: A minute or so about some mayor of a little place in Northern France who is a member of the right-wing Front Nationale
8:18: Some stuff about the new French social security pay, the RSA
8:19: A report about the death of a Trappist monk in Algeria with some French historical content
8:22: Three minutes, no less, about the Muslim riots in China
8:25: Half a minute (!) to cover President Obama's visit to Moscow to discuss amongst other things the new Start Treaty
8:25: Two and a half minutes about illegal immigration in Greece
8:27:30: Half a minute about Président Sarkozy meeting British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown at Evian and their preparation for the G8 summit
8:28 Two whole minutes about the death of some bloke who was connected with a football club in Marseille
8:30: A brief report on the Tour de France
8:30: A story about the appearance of Jeanne Moreau at Avignon; two minutes
8:32: Finally a report about a fashion show that lasted about a minute or so -
And that was your TF1 news programme for Monday, 6th July 2009.
Links:
TF1
France2
I do not feel the need to comment further except to say that I cannot even watch tonight since TF1 and France 2 seem to have given themselves over entirely to covering Michael Jackson's obsequies!
Until the next time
