Israel's 800,000 French speakers are a coveted target audience, and DBS Satellite Services (1998) Ltd. (YES) and HOT Telecommunication Systems Ltd. (TASE: HOT) already provide several French language stations, and French newspapers and magazines are readily available. Shows by French performers draw large audiences. Radio France Internationale (RFI) has launched local cable and satellite service aimed at this audience.
RFI CEO Genevieve Goetzinger arrived in Israel for the station's launch. She told "Globes" that the decision was strategic, not commercial. "This is a very interesting region in terms of news, and as a radio station that covers international issues, we had to broadcast in Israel. Our objective is for a quarter of French speakers in Israel to listen to us regularly within two years. We want to be the first station on list of people searching for quality international coverage in French."
RFI's launch in Israel will be reinforced by its merger with the popular TV station France 24, which is aired in Israel. Both companies are government owned, and their merger will create an especially strong media group that will be able to expand its global reach and influence.
"Globes": Will your entry into Israel expand your coverage of the Middle East?
Goetzinger: "Not really. We've always covered the region intensively, and the station has had a desk in Jerusalem for years. I think that there is already sufficient coverage of the region."
What is the difference between you and the other French media accessible to the Israeli audience?
"We provide France's view of the world. This isn't the English or the American view, and it definitely isn't the Arab view. We offer a different take, very balanced and very open to different opinions. One of the things that we make sure to have is contrasting views on various topics, offering a great many perspectives during the show. We also do not ignore topics and we cover almost every subject of international importance. We also provide intensive coverage of international economics, politics, culture, and sports."
Israelis are anxious about this so-called balance. A widespread claim asserts that much of the international media's perspective is pro-Palestinian.
"I do not think that these claims apply to us. We scrupulously keep a balance, and after we air the facts, there are several different opinions and perspectives about the reality. We treat this region just like every other place we cover in the world. We of course have no preference or wish to take sides. We're a fair radio station."
Another claim that could arise is that you are government owned. Doesn’t this make a mouthpiece for the government?
"Possibly in contrast to other places in the world, in France, we make sure that except for funding, there is no government intervention. We are completely independent, and except for the guiding line of a French perspective, there is no intervention from above. Public broadcasting is completely free."
RFI is the leading radio station in the Francophone world, aired in almost every French-speaking country, as well as broadcasting in 13 other languages. Its budget in 2008 was €140 million. It is aired in 125 countries and is especially prevalent in Africa and the Arab world.
You are effectively Africa's strongest network, and you've paid a price for it and your broadcasts.
"There were countries in Africa, which because of political changes, decided to take us off the air because of our broadcasts at certain times. This is definitely unpleasant, but that's what sometimes happens in countries that are not completely democratic. It happened to us in Congo and in Ivory Coast, when certain parties tried to control what the public should hear. Today there is only one country in the region that refuses to air us - Djibouti."
Goetzinger says that one thing that works in favor of RFI is that its long-wave broadcasts cannot be blocked, so that it remains on the air even after coup d'êtats, despite the new leaders' displeasure.
There have been many stories about difficulties and attacks against Western journalists covering the Arab Spring. Have your correspondents in the field felt this?
"There is no doubt that in times of war it is not easy to cover these countries. Obviously, we had to be there, but it wasn’t easy. We did not have any physical confrontations or harassment like other correspondents, but the coverage wasn’t easy."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 13, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011