FRANCE 24

France 24 launched in 2006 as an international news channel within the public body France Médias Monde. It publishes separate channels in four languages — French, English, Arabic and Spanish — a set that describes its target geography: Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

Its greatest strength is African coverage. In francophone West Africa, France 24 reaches a wider audience than local broadcasters in many countries and plays a decisive part in carrying regional developments onto the international agenda. Security crises in the Sahel, elections and coups are subjects on which it keeps field teams routinely.

Public funding leaves it free of advertising pressure; its relationship with French foreign policy is periodically debated in return. Its verification unit, Les Observateurs, is known for authenticating audience-submitted footage and reporting from it.