France Télévisions
Encyclopedia
France Télévisions is the French
public national television broadcaster. It is a state-owned company formed from the bringing together of the public television channel
s France 2
(formerly Antenne 2) and France 3
(formerly France Régions 3), later joined by the legally independent channels France 5
(formerly La Cinquième), France Ô
(formerly RFO Sat), and France 4
(formerly Festival).
France Télévisions is currently funded by the revenue from television licence fees and commercial advertising. The new law on public broadcasting will phase out commercial advertising on the public television channels (at first in the evening, then gradually throughout the day).
France Télévisions is a supporter of the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV
(HbbTV) initiative (a consortium of broadcasting and Internet industry companies including SES Astra
, OpenTV
and Institut für Rundfunktechnik
) that is promoting and establishing an open European standard for hybrid set-top boxes for the reception of broadcast TV and broadband multimedia applications with a single user interface.
France Télévisions holds 100 % of France Télémusique SAS.
The thematic channel Planète Juniors (formerly Ma Planète) ceased operations in March 2009.
France Télévisions holds 45 % of the ARTE France holding company together with the French state (25 %), Radio France
(15 %) and INA
(15 %). ARTE France and ARTE Deutschland form the ARTE
Consortium that manages the bilingual French-German channel (ARTE shares its analog channel with France 5, but both channels have separate full-time services on cable, satellite and digital broadcasts).
France Télévisions also controls the new R1 digital multiplex that currently hosts France 2, France 3, France 5, Arte
and La Chaîne parlementaire
. France 4 was originally on the R1 multiplex but was moved to R2 to allow space for regional channels on R1.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
public national television broadcaster. It is a state-owned company formed from the bringing together of the public television channel
Television channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
s France 2
France 2
France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
(formerly Antenne 2) and France 3
France 3
France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....
(formerly France Régions 3), later joined by the legally independent channels France 5
France 5
France 5 is a public television network in France, part of the France Télévisions group. Principally featuring educational programming, the channel's motto is la chaîne de la connaissance et du savoir...
(formerly La Cinquième), France Ô
France Ô
France Ô is a French public television network featuring programming from the French overseas departments and collectivities in Metropolitan France. It is part of the France Télévisions group...
(formerly RFO Sat), and France 4
France 4
France 4 is a french public channel owned by France Télévisions, dedicated to the entertainment. At first named Festival, the channel took its current name in 2005, to mark better its membership to the group France Télévisions...
(formerly Festival).
France Télévisions is currently funded by the revenue from television licence fees and commercial advertising. The new law on public broadcasting will phase out commercial advertising on the public television channels (at first in the evening, then gradually throughout the day).
France Télévisions is a supporter of the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV
Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV
Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV is both an industry standard and promotional initiative for hybrid digital TV to harmonise the broadcast, IPTV, and broadband delivery of entertainment to the end consumer through connected TVs and set-top boxes...
(HbbTV) initiative (a consortium of broadcasting and Internet industry companies including SES Astra
SES Astra
Astra is the name for the geostationary communication satellites, both individually and as a group, which are owned and operated by SES S.A., a global satellite operator based in Betzdorf, in eastern Luxembourg. The name is sometimes also used to describe the channels broadcasting from these...
, OpenTV
OpenTV
OpenTV is an interactive television company founded in 1994. Its main business involves the sale of set-top-box operating systems and software. On March 28, 2010 OpenTV became a fully owned subsidiary of the NAGRA Kudelski Group and officially delisted from the NASDAQ, where it was previously...
and Institut für Rundfunktechnik
Institut für Rundfunktechnik
The Institut für Rundfunktechnik GmbH is the research centre of the German broadcasters , Austria's broadcaster and the Swiss public broadcaster . It is located in Munich and is responsible for the research and standardisation of broadcasting technology...
) that is promoting and establishing an open European standard for hybrid set-top boxes for the reception of broadcast TV and broadband multimedia applications with a single user interface.
History and chronology
- 27 June 1964 : L'Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (ORTFOffice de Radiodiffusion Télévision FrançaiseThe Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française was the national agency charged, between 1964 and 1974, with providing public radio and television in France.-Post World War II:...
) was the national agency charged with providing public radio and television. - 1975: The ORTF is broken up into separate TV channels (TF1TF1TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
, antenne 2France 2France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
, France Région 3France 3France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....
), technical services with TDFTDF GroupTDF is a French company which provides radio and television transmission services, services for telecoms operators, and other multimedia services: digitization of content, encoding, storage, etc.Its headquarters are located in Paris.It is the dominant partner in the HDRR WiMAX consortium...
, radio service (Radio-FranceRadio FranceRadio France is a French public service radio broadcaster.-Mission:Radio France's two principal missions are:* To create and expand the programming on all of their stations; and...
, archives services INAInstitut national de l'audiovisuelThe Institut national de l'audiovisuel , is a repository of all French radio and television audiovisual archives. Additionally it provides customers with a free and immediate access to archives of countries such as Afghanistan and Cambodia...
, production and audiovisual creation services SFP. - In August, 1989, while endowing with a common president Antenne 2 and FR3 supports the juridical separation of both channels.
- On September 7, 1992, Antenne 2 and FR3 change name and become respectively France 2France 2France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
and France 3France 3France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....
. They are consequently regrouped within France Television. Nevertheless, France Television (without " s ") is only a commercial name corresponding to no juridical entity. The historical colours of the channel are respected (red for France 2 and blue for France 3) : They symbolised the colours of the French flag. - At the same time, La CinquièmeFrance 5France 5 is a public television network in France, part of the France Télévisions group. Principally featuring educational programming, the channel's motto is la chaîne de la connaissance et du savoir...
, television of culture, job and education (not to confuse with La CinqLa CinqLa Cinq was France's first privately owned free terrestrial television network. Created by politician Jérôme Seydoux and Italian media mogul Silvio Berlusconi, the network broadcasted from 1985 to 1992....
which was a private channel), exists separately from France television. - In August, 2000 law gives a legal existence to France Television by creating the holding company France Télévisions S.A. It then absorbs the public channels (France 2, France 3 and La Cinquième) as well as their subsidiaries.
- In January 2002 La Cinquième becomes France 5. Green is associated with France 5.
- In 2004, RFO, the broadcasting public society for French overseas territories, is absorbed by France televisions.
- In 2008 the French President will now choose the presidents of French public broadcasters (France Télévisions and Radio-FranceRadio FranceRadio France is a French public service radio broadcaster.-Mission:Radio France's two principal missions are:* To create and expand the programming on all of their stations; and...
directly. They were before nominated by the CSAConseil supérieur de l'audiovisuelThe Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel is a French institution, created in 1989, whose role is to regulate the various electronic media in France, such as radio and television, including through eventual censorship...
. - In 2009, commercials are axed after 8 PM. France Télévisions SA also leaves its 'holding company' status by absorbing the 'program companies' (France 2, 3, 4, 5 and Ô).
- In 2010, RFO becomes Réseau France Outre-mer 1ère.
- In 2011, in the Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
a car of France Télévision crashes while trying to overtake cyclists Johnny HoogerlandJohnny HoogerlandJohnny Hoogerland is a Dutch professional cyclist riding for the Dutch Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team. Due to the prominent bull-tattoo on his arm and his roots from the peninsula of Zuid-Beveland he is nicknamed the "Bull of Beveland"....
and Juan Antonio FlechaJuan Antonio FlechaJuan Antonio Flecha Giannoni is an Argentine-born Spanish professional road bicycle racer for the UCI ProTour team .-Career:...
. Both cyclists are wounded. Hoogerland flies into the barbed wire and is seriously injured. The French prosecutor in Aurillac opens an investigation.
National
- France 2France 2France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
- Primary channel with the second largest viewing audience (after TF1TF1TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
). - France 3France 3France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....
- Network of regional stations. - France 4France 4France 4 is a french public channel owned by France Télévisions, dedicated to the entertainment. At first named Festival, the channel took its current name in 2005, to mark better its membership to the group France Télévisions...
- Available only on digital television. Previously named "Festival", and specializing in theatre, opera and French-language and other European originated drama, it is a channel for young adults (similar to BBC ThreeBBC ThreeBBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
: sports, sitcom, arts, music and entertainment). - France 5France 5France 5 is a public television network in France, part of the France Télévisions group. Principally featuring educational programming, the channel's motto is la chaîne de la connaissance et du savoir...
- Focuses on societal issues (health, education, politics...) with talk-shows and culture with documentary films. - 1ère- A network of radio and television stations operating in French overseas departments and territories around the world (formerly known as RFORFORFO may refer to:* RF Online, a multiplayer online role-playing computer game* Radio Frequency Overlay, analogue Cable TV over a GPON optical network...
- Réseau France Outre-merRéseau France Outre-merRéseau Outre-Mer 1ère or Outre-Mer 1ère , is a network of radio and television stations operating in France's overseas departments and territories around the world.The Outre-Mer 1ère network includes:...
).- France ÔFrance ÔFrance Ô is a French public television network featuring programming from the French overseas departments and collectivities in Metropolitan France. It is part of the France Télévisions group...
- 1ère's satellite channel, featuring only programming from 1ère's regions and now broadcast in France on a national scale by Télévision Numérique TerrestreTélévision Numérique TerrestreTNT is the national digital terrestrial service for France. It formally arrived on 31 March 2005 after a short testing period. Like Freeview in the United Kingdom it will support many new channels as well as the current terrestrial television stations...
.
- France Ô
Thematic
France Télévisions has an interest in a number of thematic cable/satellite channels in France:| Channel | France Télévisions | Indirect Interest | Other Interest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulli Gulli Gulli is a French television network dedicated to children's programming. It is available through digital terrestrial television "TNT" in partnership with Lagardère Active, and France Télévisions with children's programmes from France 3. Gulli is also known as Cyperbot.-Programmes:Children can... |
34 % | 66 % Lagardère Active | ||
| Mezzo Mezzo TV Mezzo is a French television channel devoted to classical music , jazz and world music. It was formed in 1992 and was called France Supervision until 1998.Its slogan is 'Écouter, Voir, Oser' .... |
20 % | 20 % | France Télémusique | 60 % Lagardère Active |
| Planète Thalassa | 34 % | 66 % MultiThématiques (Canal+ Group Canal+ Group Canal Plus Group is a French film and television studio and distributor. It is controlled by Vivendi and has a film library in excess of 5,000 films. Vivendi has sold some parts of Canal Plus to private investors which are still using the name of Canal Plus... ) |
||
| Planète Justice | 34 % | 66 % MultiThématiques (Canal+ Group Canal+ Group Canal Plus Group is a French film and television studio and distributor. It is controlled by Vivendi and has a film library in excess of 5,000 films. Vivendi has sold some parts of Canal Plus to private investors which are still using the name of Canal Plus... ) |
||
France Télévisions holds 100 % of France Télémusique SAS.
The thematic channel Planète Juniors (formerly Ma Planète) ceased operations in March 2009.
International
| Channel | France Télévisions | Indirect Interest | Other Interest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France 24 France 24 France 24 is an international news and current affairs television channel. The service is aimed at the overseas market, similar to BBC World News, DW-TV, NHK World and RT, and broadcast through satellite and cable operators throughout the world. During 2010 the channel started broadcasting through... |
100.00 % | |||
| TV5MONDE TV5MONDE TV5MONDE is a global television network, broadcasting several channels of French language programming. It is an approved participant member of the European Broadcasting Union.-History:... |
12.58 % | 3.29 % | Arte Arte Arte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts... |
SAEF 49 %, TSR Télévision Suisse Romande Télévision Suisse Romande is a TV network with 2 channels: TSR 1 and TSR 2. They are the main French language channels in Switzerland, part of SRG SSR idée suisse... 11.11 %, RTBF RTBF Radio Télévision Belge Francophone is the public broadcasting organization of the French Community of Belgium, the southern, French-speaking part of Belgium... 11.11 %, CBC/Radio-Canada Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster... 6.67 %, Télé-Québec Télé-Québec Télé-Québec is a French language public educational television network in the Canadian province of Quebec. Known legally as Société de télédiffusion du Québec , it is a provincial crown corporation owned by the Government of Quebec... 4.44 %, INA Institut national de l'audiovisuel The Institut national de l'audiovisuel , is a repository of all French radio and television audiovisual archives. Additionally it provides customers with a free and immediate access to archives of countries such as Afghanistan and Cambodia... 1.74 % |
| Euronews EuroNews Euronews is an international multilingual news television channel.It covers world news from what it claims to be a 'European' perspective.Criticisms are that the perspective is in fact that of the European Commission - a major and growing funder of Euronews.... (through SECEMIE) |
24.05 % | 21.65 % RAI RAI RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy... - 18.81 % RTVE RTVE The Corporación de Radio y Televisión Española, S.A. or Corporación Radiotelevisión Española is the state-owned public corporation that assumed the indirect management of the Spanish public radio and television service from Ente Público Radiotelevisión Española in 2007... - 16.06 % RTR - 9.20 % SSR - 10.23 % other |
||
| Arte Arte Arte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts... |
50.00 % | Arte France | 50 % ARTE Deutschland TV GmbH | |
France Télévisions holds 45 % of the ARTE France holding company together with the French state (25 %), Radio France
Radio France
Radio France is a French public service radio broadcaster.-Mission:Radio France's two principal missions are:* To create and expand the programming on all of their stations; and...
(15 %) and INA
Institut national de l'audiovisuel
The Institut national de l'audiovisuel , is a repository of all French radio and television audiovisual archives. Additionally it provides customers with a free and immediate access to archives of countries such as Afghanistan and Cambodia...
(15 %). ARTE France and ARTE Deutschland form the ARTE
Arte
Arte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts...
Consortium that manages the bilingual French-German channel (ARTE shares its analog channel with France 5, but both channels have separate full-time services on cable, satellite and digital broadcasts).
France Télévisions also controls the new R1 digital multiplex that currently hosts France 2, France 3, France 5, Arte
Arte
Arte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts...
and La Chaîne parlementaire
La Chaîne parlementaire
La Chaîne parlementaire is a French television network responsible for broadcasting activity from the National Assembly of France and the Senate of France . It is available through digital terrestrial television "TNT"...
. France 4 was originally on the R1 multiplex but was moved to R2 to allow space for regional channels on R1.