The beginning of a new era in French public television: the 8pm news on France 2 is being extended to one hour starting Monday. The aim is to better “take the time for information” in “a complex world”.
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Presenter Anne-Sophie Lapix will kick off the new format, announced Wednesday by France Télévisions but prepared for months. This extension “does not mean that we will lose rhythm,” she assured.
The television news will be “richer”: “it will take the time to step back and explain” the various subjects covered, with more reports, analyses, experts and specialist journalists on set, explained the director of information for the public group, Alexandre Kara.
A step backwards compared to TF1
From Friday to Sunday, with Laurent Delahousse at the helm, the second part will be devoted to magazine topics rather than the news of the day. According to Mr. Kara, it is “vital” to “take the time for information.”
This new 8:00 p.m. format includes the weather and climate news. Until now, the television news lasted between 35 and 40 minutes. It is now extended by a good quarter of an hour.
France 2’s 8pm news has lost ground since January compared to TF1’s, presented by Gilles Bouleau during the week and Anne-Claire Coudray at the weekend. In total, an average of 9 to 10 million viewers watch one of the two newscasts.
ATS