News

Côté Courts (On The Short Side) Workshop 2012 call for projects

CFI and the association of Project’Heurts launch a call for projects for the Côté Courts workshop 2012, which will take place in June during the 10th Film Meetings in Bejaïa (Algeria).

The SLRC reinforces its morning broadcast

Since 2011, CFI supports the public television of Sri Lanka (SLRC) in its modernization efforts. A new mission, with journalists from the morning broadcast, will be held from 21st April to 5th May 2012 in Colombo.

TVM improves the processing of its regional news

The Madagascar radio and television cooperation has requested support from CFI to improve the processing of regional news on air. As it were, TVM daily broadcasts two editions of regional news at 1pm and 5pm, in which the elements are dispatched by internet or more simply by means of live telephone calls, from the 8 production centers set up in the regions of this big island.

Training in the use of a mobile studio in Burundi

In March 2010 as part of an joint action plan to support media (PACAM I) put into place for the election process in Burundi and foster media synergy, CFI had organised a training assignment on leading and capturing TV debates in the run-up to elections.

The AFP Foundation and Canal France International reinforce their partnership

On 2012 March 7, the AFP Foundation and Canal France International, a French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs operator for cooperation via the media, signed a partnership agreement with a view to joining forces and pooling their knowhow to create more projects in support of journalists in developing countries.

Sitcom writing workshop in Algeria

During the next Ramadan, Algerians will be able to tune into a new sitcom on state channel ENTV: Couscous Bledi . In partnership with Algerian producers HKE, CFI is providing support for the writing of the script, and training young Algerian scriptwriters.

CFI and ARTE France sign a framework agreement for collaboration

Véronique Cayla, chair of the Board of ARTE France and Etienne Fiatte, Managing Director of CFI (Canal France International) signed an outline collaboration agreement on 23 February 2012.

Heading for London 2012

The countdown to London 2012 Olympics, due to start in 6 months! In the run-up to this event, CFI is organising a workshop in Nice to prepare to cover this event, from 20 to 24 February 2012.

A new take on Beirut

“C’est Beyrouth… et ça bouge !” (This is Beirut, this is where it’s at!) is the name of a blog set up by the participants of the most recent 4M workshop, organised in the Lebanese capital.
Its aim: to showcase initiatives by civil society to improve the city.

Workshop on the production and circulation of newscasts in Africa

Canal France International, in partnership with the African Union Commission, organised from 27 to 28 January 2012 a workshop for top-flight journalists on the production and circulation of newscasts in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Gearing up for Rio 2012 with a series

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, known as Rio+20 or Rio 2012 is set to be staged in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 20 to 22 June 2012. This major world summit is thus celebrating its 20th anniversary.

"No Coral, No Maldives" Awarded the Eco Film Prize at the Science Film Festival 2011

In 2010, CFI and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), backed by the Programme des Nations unies pour l’Environnement (PNUE), co-produced the documentary No Coral, No Maldives with the Maldives National Broadcasting Company (MNBC).

Méditalents 2: launch of the call for projects

CFI together with the association 1000 visages and the Quarzazate Film Commission launch the 2nd Meditalents call for projects.

The people’s voice via “Tunisie Bondy Blog”

In September 2011, CFI supported the opening of a club of citizen journalists in Sidi Bouzid. Thanks to this initiative, a blog has been created: “Tunisie Bondy blog”.

CFI – LFP: Training on the production of football matches for six African producers

Canal France International and the French Professional Football League (LPF) have teamed up yet again to support African TV professionals.

Three Egyptian documentaries selected for the Belfort Entrevues Festival

CFI chose to team up with Ateliers Varan to encourage Egyptian to direct short documentaries.

CFI joins forces for World AIDS Day

Like every year, CFI joined forces against this global epidemic and took the opportunity of this World Day to strengthen its support with African media in their missions of creating awareness towards their public.

CFI supports the revamping of ORTN’s newscast

Further to a request from management at the Niger broadcasting corporation (ORTN), CFI is organising a training course in Niamey (Niger) for journalists and directors to improve newscast quality, from 22 November to 2 December 2011.

Seminar for programme directors in Niamey

On 28 and 29 November 2011, CFI is organising a seminar for programme managers at state-run, French-language TV channels in Niamey (Niger). This event will help to focus on core issues for African TV channels.

« The way from Tahrir », first egyptian web documentary

CFI organised in October a new “4M” hands-on training course in e-journalism for young Egyptian journalists.

CFI Prize 2012 - Call for projects

For the second year, CFI will organise from 23rd to 29th January 2012 in Biarritz, during the 25th edition of FIPA (International Festival for Audiovisual Programs), the prize-giving of the «CFI Prize» of 5,000 €, awarded as aid to the development of a documentary project.

A CFI beneficiary becomes assistant chief editor for GBC (Ghana)

In March 2011, the professional Football League (LFP) and CFI partnered up for the third edition of the "Ten days in the heart of League 1" operation. Six image reporter journalists from the African Continent followed an improvement training course in order to produce topics around football matches and notably the Olympic clash of Marseille-Paris Saint-Germain.

CFI trains young Tunisians in “e-journalism”

CFI has just launched a new project in Tunisia for the setting up of citizen journalism clubs within youth clubs, in partnership with the Ministry of Sports and Youth in Tunisia and the Tunisian blog Nawaat , with the support of the CONFEJES (Conference of Sport & Youth Ministers of French-Speaking Countries).

Maarifa: the first pilots will be arriving shortly!

A year after Maarifa was launched, how much headway have the selected projects made? Here’s a progress report on the production of the educational programmes Chaabab Café , by Palestinian TV channel Wattan TV, and Al Oulamaou Assighar (Little geniuses ), by Jordanian TV channel JRTV.

CFI supporting RTS as the newscast gets a facelift

At the request of the Managing Director at the Senegal broadcasting corporation (RTS), CFI organised a training course from 12 to 16 September 2011, in Dakar, to help journalists and directors improve newscast quality. The course was led by François Stuck, free-lance director, and Stéphane Bijoux, coordinator for news diversity at France Télévisions and former Chief Editor for RFO Polynesia.

CFI along side Tunisian media

Since March 2011, CFI steps into Tunisia to accompany the transformation of public service media through a training programme. One priority objective: to allow a pluralist coverage, that is as complete as possible, of the elections on 23rd October 2011. Three new missions are planned for September.

Plan Image Archives: a new workshop in Nairobi

Further to a request from the East African Broadcasting Association, CFI has been setting up the Plan Image Archives project since 2008, to assist state radio stations and TV channels in three east African countries in the definition of a policy to preserve and leverage video archives.
Five audiovisual organisations are benefitting from this project: TBC (Tanzania), TVZ and STV (Zanzibar), KBC (Kenya) and UBC (Uganda).

Production of reporting on Aids : 8 TV channels from Central Africa in training

CFI, in partnership with UNESCO, has organised an initial training session from 25th to 29th July in Brazzaville for the composition of topics on the theme of AIDS. This project aims to support five Countries from Central Africa in their efforts to raise awareness of this plague to the viewers. The topics will be broadcast on the CFI Africa network during World Aids Day on 1st December 2011.

Launch of the Méditalents call for projects

CFI, in conjunction with the association 1000 Visages and the Ouarzazate Film Commission, is launching the Méditalents call for projects in Cannes on 18 May 2011.

CFI’s TV partners in Africa, celebrating and making music

African TV stations will be broadcasting to the pace of the Make Music celebration on 21 June. CFI is working to support them as they programme a special schedule. Throughout May, CFI is offering musical programmes to enhance the schedules of its TV partners in Africa.

CFI supporting Tunisian media in the run-up to the elections

CFI is providing Tunisian media with support to gear up for the forthcoming elections.

CFI is offering its expert knowledge at the national gathering for short films in Madagascar

CFI is organising a training workshop on animation films for six young Malagasy directors.

A quiz to find out about Thailand

From 7 to 18 March 2011, CFI will be sending an expert to TV channel MCOT in Bangkok to work on a planned TV quiz with a focus on finding out about Thailand.

Journalism, web and networks: Ulysse 2.0

As from 28 February 2011, CFI is launching the Ulysse 2.0 project, focussing on journalism and Internet, in association with the ESJ Montpellier and Moroccan TV channel 2M, under the aegis of the COPEAM.

CFI and FIPA, a partnership to shape production in the Balkans and Caucasus

CFI is joining forces with the 24th edition of the International Festival of Audiovisual Programs (FIPA) and is implementing concrete, shaping initiatives for its partners from the Balkans and Caucasus regions.

CFI forges contacts with Afghan media

In order to gain better insight into the Afghan TV scene and to assess TV operator needs in terms of training and programmes, CFI conducted a canvassing assignment in Kabul in late November 2010.

CFI diary from 1 to 16 December 2010

CFI supports its African TV partners for special World AIDS Day programming

On 1 December, World AIDS Day, CFI will be spurring the involvement of 83 African TV channels in 45 countries, with the offer of three programmes:

CFI se mobilise pour les Journées européennes du développement 2010

Located in the Development Village, a France stand will provide a showcase for the various partners in state development aid : the French Ministry of Foreign and European affairs, CFI, the French Development Agency (AFD) and France Coopération Internationale (FCI).

CFI trains young TV journalists in Palestine (Ramallah 20-28 November 2010)

CFI will be sending an expert to Ramallah from 20-28 November to organise training for six journalists that will become news anchors, chosen by the PBC to embody the new face of the channel.

CFI diary from 15 November to 3 December 2010

CFI provides the annual forum of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to its TV partners

On 20 November 2010, CFI will be offering its state-run TV partners the annual forum of the Mo Ibrahim foundation.
This year, it will be broadcast live from Mauritius, at the Swami Vivekananda Conference Centre.

CFI diary from 1 to 14 November 2010

CFI diary from 17 to 31 October 2010

A new visual identity for Thai PBS

Thai TV channel Thai PBS aims to reposition itself as an educational channel and is gearing up for a move to new premises in Bangkok scheduled for January 2011. To this end, it called upon CFI to help put together a new visual identity.

CFI diary from 1 to 16 October 2010

CFI diary from 18 to 30 September 2010

CFI diary from 3 to 17 September 2010

CFI diary from 16 August to 5 September 2010

CFI diary from 19 July to 15 August 2010

Preparing the media in Chad to cover the elections

In the run-up to elections in Chad, CFI is forging ahead on its remit to foster professionalism among staff at the state TV channel Télé Tchad. First introduced in 2009, the training course will be wound up with the third session held in N’Djamena from 27 July to 5 August.

French Network Abroad Days 2010

As every year, CFI will be attending the "French Network Abroad Days" to be held on 19, 20 and 21 July 2010 at the Palais des Congrès in Paris with “France tunes in to the world” as the main theme. Haiti will be the country of honour.

Maarifa: three Arabic TV channels are selected from the call for projects

Canal France International (CFI), France Télévisions and the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) launched "Maarifa" under the aegis of the Cultural Council of the Union for the Mediterranean in April 2010. This project aims to support TV channels in the Mediterranean and the Arab world in developing interactive and educational audiovisual programmes.

CFI works with its TV partners in Portuguese-speaking Africa

A round table is scheduled for 8 - 9 July in Maputo to discuss and promote cooperation between Portuguese-language TV channels. It is organised by CFI and will bring together TV channel management from Mozambique (TVM), Angola (TPA), Cape Verde (RTC), Guinea-Bissau (RTGB) and Sao Tome and Principe (TVS).

CFI reasserts its support for the media in Haiti

Having donated a camera and an editing bench to the Media Operations Centre (established by Reporters Without Borders following the earthquake), CFI initiatives are now focussed on technical advice and training.

CFI diary from 28 June to 18 July 2010

Newsroom and convergence workshop in Hamburg

This project is part of a more general support programme set up by the EBU for some of its members. Participants come from TV channels in Albania (RTVSH), Belarus (BRTC), Bosnia (BHRT), Bulgaria (BNT), Georgia (GPB), Malta (PBS), Moldavia (TRM), Montenegro (RTCG), Serbia (RTS) and Ukraine (NTU).

CFI has officially announced the programming of an African TV Day (JTA)

While attending the Black Screen festival in early June, CFI officially announced the holding of an African TV Day (JTA) scheduled for 27 February 2011, during the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO). Seven members of the African Association of Private TV Producers (APPTA) will be partnering CFI: Golfe TV (Benin), Canal 3 (Burkina Faso), STV2 (Cameroon), DRTV (Congo Brazzaville), RTT (Niger), TV Renaissance (Burundi) and 2STV (Senegal). FESPACO and the Black Screen festival will also be involved.

CFI diary from 31 May to 20 June 2010

CFI diary from 10 to 30 May 2010

CFI diary from 19 April to 10 May 2010

CFI continues to foster professionalism among Télé Tchad staff

From 5 to 9 April 2010, CFI will be leading the second training session for Télé Tchad staff. Daniel Grillon, free-lance Chief Editor, former Regional Director of France 3 Méditerranée, and Frédéric Bouquet, free-lance director, are in N’Djamena to supervise 10 managers involved in the TV channel’s programming policy. This team is working to adapt the programme schedule to fit programmes about the elections and election night in.

Support for the production of election debates in Burundi

In the run-up to elections in Burundi, with five national and local elections scheduled between May and August 2010, French Cooperation has set up a Joint Media Support Plan (PACAM). It has called upon CFI to organise a training course for the media in Burundi as part of this plan.

Closing ceremony of the training course in the DRC

Mission accomplished for the “From reporting on the economy to investigative journalism” training course in the DRC. Etienne Fiatte, Managing Director at CFI and Guillaume Pierre, Director for Africa, were in Kinshasa on 10 March 2010 to wrap up the third session of an especially popular training course.

Special edition of C’est pas sorcier on African screens

On 13 April 2010, CFI will be offering a special edition of the French science magazine C’est pas sorcier in the thick of the Congo river basin rainforest.

CFI diary from 29 March to 18 April 2010

CFI diary from 15 to 28 March 2010

CFI diary from 1 to 14 March 2010

CFI diary from 15 to 28 February 2010

Looking at new forms of cooperation between CFI and Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB)

In the Med-Asia region too, new agreements set out the current terms of cooperation between CFI and broadcasting partners. Some channels have been offered a ground-breaking scheme to purchase French programmes as part of a three-year support process.

A new agreement concluded with Niger state TV

In its drive for partner empowerment, CFI has just launched a campaign to renew agreements with over 70 operators in Africa.

Agenda CFI du 1er au 14 février 2010

CFI diary from 15 to 31 January 2010

"Nous resterons sur terre" (We’ll stay on earth) : a compelling documentary on climate change

Timed to coincide with the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, CFI, France Télévisions Distribution and UNESCO are acting to support the broadcasting of the documentary Nous resterons sur terre (We’ll stay on earth).

CFI diary from 21 December 2009 to 14 January 2010

A new partnership agreement with Liberian television

CFI now has a new African TV partner : the Liberian state television LBC (Liberia Broadcasting Cooperation).

CFI diary from 7 to 20 December 2009

CFI diary from 23 November to 6 December 2009

CFI diary from 9 to 22 November 2009

Ten days with League 1 : second edition for Philippe Doucet

This second training course on sports commentary and reporting will be bringing together 14 journalists from English- and Portuguese-speaking Africa. Once again at the helm to supervise the team, French Professional Football League (LFP) consultant Philippe Doucet explained the setup for this new session.

CFI diary from 26 October to 8 November 2009

CFI diary from 12 to 25 October 2009

CFI diary from 28 September to 11 October 2009

CFI diary from 14 to 27 September 2009

CFI diary 31 August - 13 September 2009

CFI diary from 20 July to 24 August 2009

CFI diary from 6 to 19 July 2009

CFI assesses its broadcasting scheme

New broadcasting methods have taken African channels global and today raise the issue of broadcasting rights. New, private channels enjoy considerable funding and contribute to a diverse content offer in their respective countries. Given the pressure to achieve high audience ratings and the variety of content available, programming needs to be honed and new audiences conquered.

CFI diary from 22 June to 5 July 2009

CFI diary from 8 to 21 June 2009

CFI at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival

Françoise Mas, Acquisitions Manager for "Features and Children’s Programmes" at CFI, was at the 62nd Cannes film festival from 13 to 24 May. She looks back at this event.

CFI Diary from 25 May to 7 June 2009

Communications convention in Chad

From 11 to 14 May 2009, a Communications Convention is scheduled to take place in N’Djamena, Chad.

CFI Diary from 4 to 17 May

New directions for the RAPAF ?

After two years in operation, the RAPAF (Network of Public Broadcasters in French-speaking Africa) is at a crossroads. As an association of professionals in state-run audiovisual media, the RAPAF has to choose which aims to focus on in order to face up squarely to the emergence of private media groups and foster audience loyalty. To achieve this, CFI, which has supported the RAPAF since its inception, hopes to consolidate the association’s structure and is setting up an audit of its organisation to help draw up a plan of action for the future.

CFI diary 27 April to 3 May 2009

Ten African journalists meet French League 1 clubs

As from 9 April, ten African journalists (from Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo) are splitting into groups to visit three French clubs : Olympique Lyonnais (OL), Olympique de Marseille (OM), and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Ten African journalists in the thick of the Champions League

The training course organised jointly by the French Professional Football League (LFP) and CFI comprises a section covering sports commentary techniques.

CFI diary from 6 to 19 April 2009

BBS renews its trust in CFI

Set up in 1999, the BBS, or Bhutan Broadcasting Service-> is one of the youngest television corporations worldwide. Most of its technicians and journalists used to work in radio and therefore really need to be trained to deal with visual aspects of broadcasting. Since 2005, CFI has assisted the BBS by providing training courses that closely fit their needs. The training courses led by CFI for this young, dynamic TV channel have addressed reporting, formatting of programmes for young people and support for the coverage of the first general election in the country.