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| France launches world TV channel | France launches world TV channel |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| France's first international news channel has been launched into competition with BBC World and CNN. | France's first international news channel has been launched into competition with BBC World and CNN. |
| France 24 was unveiled on the internet at on Wednesday evening, and will launch on satellite and cable TV 24 hours later. | France 24 was unveiled on the internet at on Wednesday evening, and will launch on satellite and cable TV 24 hours later. |
| The channel has the backing of French President Jacques Chirac, who despaired at the lack of an outlet for French views in the run up to war in Iraq. | The channel has the backing of French President Jacques Chirac, who despaired at the lack of an outlet for French views in the run up to war in Iraq. |
| But some critics have complained it has insufficient funding to compete. | But some critics have complained it has insufficient funding to compete. |
| The network has a budget of 86m euros (£58m) a year. | The network has a budget of 86m euros (£58m) a year. |
| That compares with 900m euros for CNN. | |
| France is joining what Chirac calls the 'global battle of images' News 'a la francaise' | France is joining what Chirac calls the 'global battle of images' News 'a la francaise' |
| France 24's 170 journalists will be spread across two parallel services in French and English. Later it will add Spanish and Arabic broadcasts. | France 24's 170 journalists will be spread across two parallel services in French and English. Later it will add Spanish and Arabic broadcasts. |
| Some experts have said this will leave it stretched. | Some experts have said this will leave it stretched. |
| It will be able to call on correspondents from private channel TF1 and state-owned France Televisions channels, which will jointly run France 24, but there have been concerns that it is not clear who will take priority. | It will be able to call on correspondents from private channel TF1 and state-owned France Televisions channels, which will jointly run France 24, but there have been concerns that it is not clear who will take priority. |
| 'Through French eyes' | 'Through French eyes' |
| The fanfare leading up to the launch included full-page advertisements in French newspapers Le Parisien and Le Figaro on Wednesday, alongside the channel's slogan: "All the news you're not supposed to know." | The fanfare leading up to the launch included full-page advertisements in French newspapers Le Parisien and Le Figaro on Wednesday, alongside the channel's slogan: "All the news you're not supposed to know." |
| The running order was said to include an interview with President Chirac. | The running order was said to include an interview with President Chirac. |
| The president visited the station's newsroom ahead of the launch. | The president visited the station's newsroom ahead of the launch. |
| France 24's journalists have signed a mission statement "to cover international news with a French perspective... and to carry the values of France throughout the world". | France 24's journalists have signed a mission statement "to cover international news with a French perspective... and to carry the values of France throughout the world". |
| But the channel insists it is independent and will not just follow the government line. | But the channel insists it is independent and will not just follow the government line. |
| "Our mission is to cover worldwide news with French eyes," said the channel's head, Alain de Pouzilhac. | "Our mission is to cover worldwide news with French eyes," said the channel's head, Alain de Pouzilhac. |