For decades, it has been “a window on the world” for French viewers: the Envoyé Spécial magazine celebrates its 30th anniversary on Thursday, with an evening dedicated to young people who change the world, the return of former participants, and the replay of particularly striking reports.
"Everything was to be cleared," recalls Bernard Benyamin, who launched the magazine in January 1990 with Paul Nahon, at the request of the management of Antenne 2 (which became France 2 in 1992). Because, he recalls, at the time, there was no magazine of reports broadcast in the first part of the evening, since the end of the mythical ORTF program Cinq columns à la une (1959-1968 ).
An exceptional alignment of the planets
The period turns out to be favorable for this bet of the public service on information in prime time: in this year 1990, the Berlin Wall has just fallen, the iron curtain cracks everywhere in Eastern Europe, Ceausescu is executed , the USSR saw its twilight and the first Gulf War broke out during the summer ... The show enjoyed from its beginnings a great freedom of action, and with its reports in the whole world, it established itself as "A window on the world", underlines Bernard Benyamin.
"Anything was possible, without any pressure," says the journalist, who recalls that Special Envoy has benefited from an exceptional alignment of the planets: the program was born before the appearance of news channels (LCI was launched in 1994 , iTélé in 1999), Internet and social networks, and while there were only five terrestrial channels within the PAF. From its inception, it followed a major principle: deciphering the news, going beyond the raw information disseminated in the news.
Elise Lucet, at the presentation since 2016
If the show has grown longer and has undergone other changes to its format, Elise Lucet, who has presented it since 2016 (it succeeded Françoise Joly and Guilaine Chenu, who had taken over the controls in 2001), ensures that the editorial line remains the same: field reporting, investigation and close proximity to viewers.
Elise Lucet, who exercises the magazine's chief editor with Sébastien Vibert and Séverine Lebrun, says she is determined to bring to life "this great rigor" established in 1990 by Paul Nahon and Bernard Benyamin, which, according to her, enabled the show to follow the tradition of BBC investigative magazines or major American chains.
On the form, the show must continue to adapt to the expectations of viewers, she said, and take into account a broadcast that is done more and more via digital platforms. "We have to keep the DNA and hear the times", by relying on social networks, which allow us to reach younger viewers.
An exceptional device, in three stages
A profitable strategy since the magazine has solid audiences: 2 million viewers and 10% audience share (pda) on average between September and December. The previous show, broadcast on January 16, rose to 2.8 million viewers and 13.6% audience share, its best score in a year and a half. For its 30th anniversary, the magazine will benefit from an exceptional device, in three stages. During the first part of the evening, Envoyé Spécial will look to the future with subjects devoted to young people who change the world: Kylian Mbappé, Greta Thunberg and Bilal Hassani.
In the second part, we will find people who have testified in the programs and whose stories are markers of the great evolutions of society in matters of childhood, family, work, environment ... Finally, at 0h35, France 2 will broadcast a Special Envoy Night , with an anthology of the show's greatest reports, distinguished by prestigious awards.
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- France 2
- Elise lucet
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