French channels go all out to cover the American election

French TVs and radios have put in place means to match a "historic event" despite the difficulties related to the pandemic.

The race for the White House is between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

JIM WATSON, Brendan Smialowski, Morry GASH / AFP / POOL

French TVs and radios go on American time!

Private and public channels and 24-hour news channels are mobilizing to cover the presidential election in the United States.

Update on the devices, although undermined by the coronavirus pandemic.

The "8pm" from the United States

"An unprecedented device for us", at the height of a "historic event", promises Amaury Guibert, deputy director of the national editorial staff of France Télévisions, who will send around fifty people (journalists, technical teams, etc.) to cover the event. 'event.

Anne-Sophie Lapix's “8 pm” will be broadcast from New York and Washington, next Tuesday and Wednesday, and a night devoted to the “American choice” will be offered live simultaneously on France 2 and franceinfo.

"C in the air" relocated to New York

France 5, in addition to documentaries on Sunday, will even relocate the magazine "C dans l'air", for the very first time, to New York.

"It is an examination that can change the face of the world and subject to uncertainty, an unprecedented level of tension and psychodrama, in an America torn apart by the mandate of Donald Trump", adds Caroline Roux at the helm of the magazine.

An American night on LCI

TF1, for its part, will broadcast the American night of its LCI news channel, from November 3 to 4, between 1:15 a.m. and around 7 a.m., announces Thierry Thuillier, the news director of the TF1 group.

“It's one of the first times we've decided to do it.

This is a key moment, and there is suspense around this choice which will strongly determine the course of the planet in the next four years, ”insists Thierry Thuillier.

A set in Washington for BFMTV

BFMTV will offer evenings from a set in Washington, overlooking the White House, and many special editions.

"This election is special in more than one way, it is the re-election or not of an exceptional character, Donald Trump, and in a catastrophic health situation in the United States", explains Hervé Beroud, Deputy Managing Director of Altice Media, whose various branches (BFMTV, RMC, etc.) are mobilized.

CBS News Election Night on CNews

CNews also offers an American night around the CBS News election night broadcast.

"On the ground" with Radio France

Radio stations will also be there, including France Inter, franceinfo, RTL, Europe 1 and RMC.

But the Covid-19 is not helping.

"It has never been so complicated to go to the United States" notes Caroline Roux.

“We tried to be resourceful, and we were among the first to find the trick to get around the“ travel ban ”, passing through countries from which we could more easily reach the United States. », Testifies Jean-Marc Four, director of the international editorial staff of Radio France.

His group wanted "to be on the ground first and foremost, it's our best asset to make people understand what America is today", especially after the experience of 2016, where the media did not 'did not see Trump's victory coming due to "over-looking through binoculars," he said.

Media coverage that can last

The situation has been unblocked on the visa side, according to media interviewed by AFP.

But "in addition to a visa, you have to pass a PCR test when you leave, and another to be able to return to France", specifies Amaury Guibert.

The Covid-19 has also encouraged the surge in postal voting in several key states.

The counting and the designation of the winner could drag on in the event of a close ballot.

"A scenario for which we are preparing", assures Amaury Guibert.

People

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