What is France Télévisions’ plan to cover the 2024 American presidential election?

France Télévisions' system for the great American night of November 5, 2024 is installed on the terrace of a hotel in Times Square, in the heart of Manhattan, as you can discover in this behind-the-scenes video. Traditionally, in this city which votes for the Democrats at 60% (down in the latest polls), a more or less enthusiastic crowd gathers in front of the giant screens for election night.

Will this scenario happen again this time? Despite doubts, France Télévisions chose this strategic location. It rents the services of an American technical service provider, who works with the Parisian technical teams.

A little more than fifty people, including the film crews who are currently traveling the United States to produce reports on the campaign, are mobilized for this event in the news of France 2, Télématin, C in the Air on France 5 and franceinfo channel 27, in particular L'Heure americaine. For France 2 and France 5, the production is done on site, in the control room which occupies a good third of the terrace.

For Franceinfo channel 27, which has its own platform due to simultaneous broadcasts with the two other channels, the system is different. The images filmed by the three cameras travel to Paris, where the management has them, to carry out the various aerial shots from France.

The American night will begin on our airwaves shortly before midnight, it will also live continuously on franceinfo.fr. In the early morning, Télématin will take over as well as Franceinfo channel 27.

Find our files to understand everything about this historically close election as well as our reports in a country going through deep crises.