Jim Bittermann, CNN correspondent in Paris. - CNN

  • CNN, the first continuous news channel in history, was created on June 1, 1980 in Atlanta.
  • CNN has had an office in Paris since 1987.
  • Since 1996, Jim Bittermann has been a CNN correspondent in Paris. He answered the questions of "20 Minutes" on the occasion of the chain's 40th anniversary.

On June 1, 1980, in Atlanta (United States), CNN was born. The first continuous news channel in history, whose acronym stands for "Cable news network", inspired many others around the world in the decades and years that followed. On the occasion of this fortieth anniversary, 20 Minutes met with Jim Bittermann, one of the two correspondents - with Melissa Bell - of CNN in Paris.

What is your first memory of your arrival at the Paris office of CNN?

I have been in France since 1980, where I worked for NBC and ABC. Working at CNN since 1996, I saw a difference: the chain was interested in everything that was happening in the country. We were able to cover a large number of subjects that other major networks did not want to cover.

What is the event you covered that most impressed you?

I am thinking of the death of Princess Diana, because we were on the air the morning of the accident under the Alma tunnel [August 31, 1997], then for thirty days. We followed the investigation and its various aspects. It was non-stop work seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. The first three days, I worked seventy-two hours without sleep. Among the other memorable events, I would also mention the crash of the Concorde, the presidential covers or the fire of Notre-Dame de Paris which was a big topic for us and whose news we continue to follow.

And the attacks in Paris?

Absolutely. November 13, 2015 was a confusing evening. I was coming back from Tunisia for CNN, I was still at the airport when I was informed that something was happening. We went straight to the field. We covered this news and its various developments for several weeks.

Last week, your CNN colleague Omar Jimenez was arrested directly in Minneapolis where he was covering the protests after the death of Georges Floyd that took place there. What does that remind you of?

I think that we are in a very dangerous period in the United States. I'm really scared of what's going on in my country. Attacks on the press, among others, are terrible. What Donald Trump has been talking about for more than three years, on fake news , the media that would be the enemy ... are coming into play in a concrete way now that the police directly attack journalists and their teams. CNN is not the only target, even Fox News reporters are affected by this. And this at a time when the press is more important than ever while being weakened - because many paper newspapers in particular are in difficulty and are forced to lay off.

Do you think the United States is at a turning point in its history?

This seems to be the case. I was in Chicago during the riots in 1968 after the assassination of Martin Luther King. Things seemed out of control and took place in lots of different places. I have a similar feeling with what is happening today. I think we are at a turning point. But in which direction are we going? This is the question that we will have to answer.

In your opinion, is it possible to compare the American and French situations concerning, in particular, police violence?

There are similarities. The riot scenes in the United States are reminiscent of those that took place in France, the visual aspect is almost the same. And the underlying causes are also similar. Racist attacks, when they occur, are a sign of a larger problem. Things are boiling and the pressure cooker eventually explodes. This is certainly what is happening in the United States.

How do you imagine the future of the profession of journalist in the more or less long term?

At CNN, we are very rigorous when it comes to verifying the facts, editorial teams are responsible for verifying what we relay. We must always be more rigorous. We have an obligation, in this critical period when the institutions are disputed, to tell the facts, to explain to the public what is going on. Regarding the events of the past few days, we must not forget to have an overview. You have to see what is happening on the streets and take a step back to see the issues and implications. Last month, the event was the coronavirus. This month is the death of George Floyd and riots in several American cities. The role of journalists is to help the public to see more clearly, to understand these events.

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