France gets its first black TV presenter after Chirac pressure

France gets its first black TV presenter after Chirac pressure
By John Lichfield in Paris
Published: 08 March 2006
Under pressure from President Jacques Chirac, the main French
television channel, TF1, has appointed a black journalist as
"substitute" presenter of the country's most-watched news bulletin.

From July, Harry Roselmack, 32, will become the first non-white person
to present a prime-time, mainstream television news programme on
France's most-watched channel, TF1.

During the rioting by multiracial suburban gangs of young people in
November last year, French television companies were criticised for
their failure to present an ethnically diverse picture of French
society.

Although journalists of Arab or African origin, such as Roselmack, have
presented the news on minor channels or out of prime time, the main
news bulletins have been an all-white preserve.

This was said to reinforce the sense of alienation felt by black and
Arab youths in poor, French suburbs.

After the riots, President Chirac urged all the French media, and
especially television companies, to make greater effort to hire
journalists from ethnic minorities.

TF1 said it had hired Roselmack to respond to the President's appeal
but also because "he is a very good journalist".

Roselmack's abilities are undisputed. Formerly a radio journalist, he
has become a popular figure on the i-TELE cable news channel in the
past six months. He has been praised for his clear and faultless
presentation and his ability to exude seriousness and warmth.

He was described by one French newspaper as "having the looks of a
play-boy, smiling and sexy".

Born on the French Caribbean island of Martinique, Roselmack was
brought up in Tours, western France.

From the summer, he will present regular news bulletins on TFI's
24-hour news channel, LCI. More importantly, he will, from July, become
the face of the 8pm TF1 news while its veteran presenter, Patrick
Poivre d'Arvor, is on holiday.

The TF1 evening news, with an audience of more than 5 million, claims
to be the most watched news programme in Europe. In a country which has
a low readership of national newspapers, the TF1 news is the main
window on national and international events, especially in provincial
France or "La France profonde".

Amirouche Laïdi, the president of Club Averroès, a pressure group for
ethnic balance in the French media, welcomed the appointment.

"Harry Roselmack, a black man, on the TF1 evening news will be a
bombshell, a huge advance," he said. "It's also a victory for
normality. M. Roselmack has set the screen on fire on I-TELE since last
year.

"Pretty soon, no one will see the black man on the television, only the
journalist."

Azouz Begag, the Minister for Equality of Opportunity, said the
appointment was a "great step forward" because television was the
"mirror in which society looks at itself".

Under pressure from President Jacques Chirac, the main French
television channel, TF1, has appointed a black journalist as
"substitute" presenter of the country's most-watched news bulletin.

From July, Harry Roselmack, 32, will become the first non-white person
to present a prime-time, mainstream television news programme on
France's most-watched channel, TF1.

During the rioting by multiracial suburban gangs of young people in
November last year, French television companies were criticised for
their failure to present an ethnically diverse picture of French
society.

Although journalists of Arab or African origin, such as Roselmack, have
presented the news on minor channels or out of prime time, the main
news bulletins have been an all-white preserve.

This was said to reinforce the sense of alienation felt by black and
Arab youths in poor, French suburbs.

After the riots, President Chirac urged all the French media, and
especially television companies, to make greater effort to hire
journalists from ethnic minorities.

TF1 said it had hired Roselmack to respond to the President's appeal
but also because "he is a very good journalist".

Roselmack's abilities are undisputed. Formerly a radio journalist, he
has become a popular figure on the i-TELE cable news channel in the
past six months. He has been praised for his clear and faultless
presentation and his ability to exude seriousness and warmth.
He was described by one French newspaper as "having the looks of a
play-boy, smiling and sexy".

Born on the French Caribbean island of Martinique, Roselmack was
brought up in Tours, western France.

From the summer, he will present regular news bulletins on TFI's
24-hour news channel, LCI. More importantly, he will, from July, become
the face of the 8pm TF1 news while its veteran presenter, Patrick
Poivre d'Arvor, is on holiday.

The TF1 evening news, with an audience of more than 5 million, claims
to be the most watched news programme in Europe. In a country which has
a low readership of national newspapers, the TF1 news is the main
window on national and international events, especially in provincial
France or "La France profonde".

Amirouche Laïdi, the president of Club Averroès, a pressure group for
ethnic balance in the French media, welcomed the appointment.

"Harry Roselmack, a black man, on the TF1 evening news will be a
bombshell, a huge advance," he said. "It's also a victory for
normality. M. Roselmack has set the screen on fire on I-TELE since last
year.

"Pretty soon, no one will see the black man on the television, only the
journalist."

Azouz Begag, the Minister for Equality of Opportunity, said the
appointment was a "great step forward" because television was the
"mirror in which society looks at itself".

Here's a pale copy of the evleths.
Who cares about your topic??
Go back to bed.

"eetinBelgië" a écrit dans le message de news:
...
France gets its first black TV presenter after Chirac pressure
By John Lichfield in Paris
Published: 08 March 2006
Under pressure from President Jacques Chirac, the main French
television channel, TF1, has appointed a black journalist as
"substitute" presenter of the country's most-watched news bulletin.

From July, Harry Roselmack, 32, will become the first non-white person
to present a prime-time, mainstream television news programme on
France's most-watched channel, TF1.

During the rioting by multiracial suburban gangs of young people in
November last year, French television companies were criticised for
their failure to present an ethnically diverse picture of French
society.

Although journalists of Arab or African origin, such as Roselmack, have
presented the news on minor channels or out of prime time, the main
news bulletins have been an all-white preserve.

This was said to reinforce the sense of alienation felt by black and
Arab youths in poor, French suburbs.

After the riots, President Chirac urged all the French media, and
especially television companies, to make greater effort to hire
journalists from ethnic minorities.

TF1 said it had hired Roselmack to respond to the President's appeal
but also because "he is a very good journalist".

Roselmack's abilities are undisputed. Formerly a radio journalist, he
has become a popular figure on the i-TELE cable news channel in the
past six months. He has been praised for his clear and faultless
presentation and his ability to exude seriousness and warmth.

He was described by one French newspaper as "having the looks of a
play-boy, smiling and sexy".

Born on the French Caribbean island of Martinique, Roselmack was
brought up in Tours, western France.

From the summer, he will present regular news bulletins on TFI's
24-hour news channel, LCI. More importantly, he will, from July, become
the face of the 8pm TF1 news while its veteran presenter, Patrick
Poivre d'Arvor, is on holiday.

The TF1 evening news, with an audience of more than 5 million, claims
to be the most watched news programme in Europe. In a country which has
a low readership of national newspapers, the TF1 news is the main
window on national and international events, especially in provincial
France or "La France profonde".

Amirouche Laïdi, the president of Club Averroès, a pressure group for
ethnic balance in the French media, welcomed the appointment.

"Harry Roselmack, a black man, on the TF1 evening news will be a
bombshell, a huge advance," he said. "It's also a victory for
normality. M. Roselmack has set the screen on fire on I-TELE since last
year.

"Pretty soon, no one will see the black man on the television, only the
journalist."

Azouz Begag, the Minister for Equality of Opportunity, said the
appointment was a "great step forward" because television was the
"mirror in which society looks at itself".

Under pressure from President Jacques Chirac, the main French
television channel, TF1, has appointed a black journalist as
"substitute" presenter of the country's most-watched news bulletin.

From July, Harry Roselmack, 32, will become the first non-white person
to present a prime-time, mainstream television news programme on
France's most-watched channel, TF1.

During the rioting by multiracial suburban gangs of young people in
November last year, French television companies were criticised for
their failure to present an ethnically diverse picture of French
society.

Although journalists of Arab or African origin, such as Roselmack, have
presented the news on minor channels or out of prime time, the main
news bulletins have been an all-white preserve.

This was said to reinforce the sense of alienation felt by black and
Arab youths in poor, French suburbs.

After the riots, President Chirac urged all the French media, and
especially television companies, to make greater effort to hire
journalists from ethnic minorities.

TF1 said it had hired Roselmack to respond to the President's appeal
but also because "he is a very good journalist".

Roselmack's abilities are undisputed. Formerly a radio journalist, he
has become a popular figure on the i-TELE cable news channel in the
past six months. He has been praised for his clear and faultless
presentation and his ability to exude seriousness and warmth.
He was described by one French newspaper as "having the looks of a
play-boy, smiling and sexy".

Born on the French Caribbean island of Martinique, Roselmack was
brought up in Tours, western France.

From the summer, he will present regular news bulletins on TFI's
24-hour news channel, LCI. More importantly, he will, from July, become
the face of the 8pm TF1 news while its veteran presenter, Patrick
Poivre d'Arvor, is on holiday.

The TF1 evening news, with an audience of more than 5 million, claims
to be the most watched news programme in Europe. In a country which has
a low readership of national newspapers, the TF1 news is the main
window on national and international events, especially in provincial
France or "La France profonde".

Amirouche Laïdi, the president of Club Averroès, a pressure group for
ethnic balance in the French media, welcomed the appointment.

"Harry Roselmack, a black man, on the TF1 evening news will be a
bombshell, a huge advance," he said. "It's also a victory for
normality. M. Roselmack has set the screen on fire on I-TELE since last
year.

"Pretty soon, no one will see the black man on the television, only the
journalist."

Azouz Begag, the Minister for Equality of Opportunity, said the
appointment was a "great step forward" because television was the
"mirror in which society looks at itself".

eetinBelgië a écrit :

France gets its first black TV presenter after Chirac pressure
By John Lichfield in Paris
Published: 08 March 2006
Under pressure from President Jacques Chirac, the main French
television channel, TF1, has appointed a black journalist as
"substitute" presenter of the country's most-watched news bulletin.

From July, Harry Roselmack, 32, will become the first non-white person
to present a prime-time, mainstream television news programme on
France's most-watched channel, TF1.

Although journalists of Arab or African origin, such as Roselmack, have
presented the news on minor channels or out of prime time, the main
news bulletins have been an all-white preserve.

They are a minority that's true and it took time, but their number is
growing including on cable channels (TV5, LCI). TF1 being rather...
rightwing oriented, was more... reticent.
But a title like "France gets its first black TV presenter" is an
imposture.

As far as "premières" are concerned, that's ONLY true for the MAIN
news at PRIME TIME (8 PM) of the MAIN channel TF1... presented by
Claire Chazal and Patrick Poivre d'Arvor since very long... years.

That's false for the rest, the other 5 main national channels being
France2 France3, Canal +, Arte and M6.

Audrey Pullvar (black) has presented the 19/20, so prime time, on
France 3, one of the 3 historic and main channels, during last summer
and before her nomination at the evening news in 2004 as well as the
12/14 (lunchtime).

Rachid Arab has presented the France 2 lunchtime news 1 PM (2nd main
french channel) during years... as well, and now presents the saturday
program just before these news. Other arabs, notably Naguy presents,
programs or participates like Ilana Moryoussef on France 3 for example
or music programs. But I don't watch TV a lot, and enough to make a
total survey.

Christine Kelly (black) presents the news on LCI since years.

didier Meurgues

This was said to reinforce the sense of alienation felt by black and
Arab youths in poor, French suburbs.

(...)

Amirouche Laïdi, the president of Club Averroès, a pressure group for
ethnic balance in the French media, welcomed the appointment.

"Harry Roselmack, a black man, on the TF1 evening news will be a
bombshell, a huge advance," he said. "It's also a victory for
normality. M. Roselmack has set the screen on fire on I-TELE since last
year.

What about the black sports journalist on RTL-TVi (Ok, it's technically
from Luxembourg but largely a Belgian service)? And there are a number
of presenters that seem to have Arabic-sounding names, even if they look
Italian. I'm also pretty sure I saw a complete African programme on one
of the smaller channels in Brussels.

M
http://www.Cannes-or-bust.com/


eetinBelgië wrote:
I know of one arabic type presenting on Belgian TV the rest are all
white !

Following up to "eetinBelgië" :

"France gets its first black TV presenter..."

to

"... a prime-time, mainstream television news programme on France's
most-watched channel, TF1...."

in only one paragraph. Not bad.
--
Tim C.

Tim C. schreef:

Following up to "eetinBelgië" :

"France gets its first black TV presenter..."

to

"... a prime-time, mainstream television news programme on France's
most-watched channel, TF1...."

in only one paragraph. Not bad.
--
Tim C.

The Times likes French bashing, it sells well in England

Martin a écrit :

On 10 Mar 2006 03:59:11 -0800, "eetinBelgië"
wrote:


Tim C. schreef:

Following up to "eetinBelgië" :

"France gets its first black TV presenter..."

to

"... a prime-time, mainstream television news programme on France's
most-watched channel, TF1...."

in only one paragraph. Not bad.
--
Tim C.

The Times likes French bashing, it sells well in England

The Times is the mouth piece of Rupert Murdoch.

For Rupert :
http://perso.easynet.fr/ingridb/listemiss.html

http://www.christine-kelly.com

http://rendez-vous-avec-vous.france2.fr
http://www.enfantsduglobe.org/fr/asso/arha.htm

http://www.audrey-pulvar.tk
http://www.grioo.com/info2964.html

I've just learn today... in her website that since the beginning of
this year Audrey Pulvar has been replaced at the Soir 3 evening news by
Marie Drucker and is coming back to the 19/20 and is presenting a new
programme on LCP :
"L'année 2006 commence bien puisque La Chaine Parlementaire (LCP) lui
a proposé la présentation de "Parlez-Moi d'Ailleurs" Enchantée par
cette offre, Audrey accepte, tout en restant titulaire au 19/20 de
France 3. She's not presenting tonight.

http://jt.france3.fr/1920/1920_equipe.php3
http://www.lcpan.fr/animateurs.asp

http://www.tv5.org/TV5Site/programme..._continent.php
then clic for the news on : "Le journal de TV5 : l'actualité mondiale"

You can watch David Delos (black) for the news tonight.

For the new one..., Poivre d'Arvor is at the 8 PM TF1 news tonight.
http://www.tf1.fr

Nevertheless, non whites STILL represent a minority including in
thematic programmes. I watch from time to time the one of a black girl
top model looking... on saturday mornings about Paris events and
fashion but didn't noticed her name. There's as well a black meteo
presentator on France 2 or 3 with an EXCELLENT diction. IMO he's even
the best I've ever seen on french channels... !!!
http://www.obs.coe.int/db/persky/fr.html

didier Meurgues

--
Martin

didier Meurgues a écrit :

Martin a écrit :

On 10 Mar 2006 03:59:11 -0800, "eetinBelgië"
wrote:


Tim C. schreef:

Following up to "eetinBelgië" :

"France gets its first black TV presenter..."

to

"... a prime-time, mainstream television news programme on France's
most-watched channel, TF1...."

in only one paragraph. Not bad.
--
Tim C.

The Times likes French bashing, it sells well in England

The Times is the mouth piece of Rupert Murdoch.

For Rupert :
http://perso.easynet.fr/ingridb/listemiss.html

http://www.christine-kelly.com

http://rendez-vous-avec-vous.france2.fr
http://www.enfantsduglobe.org/fr/asso/arha.htm

http://www.audrey-pulvar.tk
http://www.grioo.com/info2964.html

I've just learn today... in her website that since the beginning of
this year Audrey Pulvar has been replaced at the Soir 3 evening news by
Marie Drucker and is coming back to the 19/20 and is presenting a new
programme on LCP :
"L'année 2006 commence bien puisque La Chaine Parlementaire (LCP) lui
a proposé la présentation de "Parlez-Moi d'Ailleurs" Enchantée par
cette offre, Audrey accepte, tout en restant titulaire au 19/20 de
France 3. She's not presenting tonight.

http://jt.france3.fr/1920/1920_equipe.php3
http://www.lcpan.fr/animateurs.asp

http://www.tv5.org/TV5Site/programme..._continent.php
then clic for the news on : "Le journal de TV5 : l'actualité mondiale"

You can watch David Delos (black) for the news tonight.

For the new one..., Poivre d'Arvor is at the 8 PM TF1 news tonight.
http://www.tf1.fr

Nevertheless, non whites STILL represent a minority including in
thematic programmes. I watch from time to time the one of a black girl
top model looking... on saturday mornings about Paris events and
fashion but didn't noticed her name. There's as well a black meteo
presentator on France 2 or 3 with an EXCELLENT diction. IMO he's even
the best I've ever seen on french channels... !!!
http://www.obs.coe.int/db/persky/fr.html

http://programmes.france2.fr/animateurs/1049189-fr.php

It's seems that there are 3 more "non whites" on the journalists page
that I just gave for LCP... I didn't know them :

http://www.lcpan.fr/animateurs.asp

Myriam Encaoua
Frédéric Haziza
Fadela Amara
and even a british one, Rupert.... :+) :
Alex Taylor

didier Meurgues

--
Martin

eetinBelgië writes:

Although journalists of Arab or African origin, such as Roselmack, have
presented the news on minor channels or out of prime time, the main
news bulletins have been an all-white preserve.

This was said to reinforce the sense of alienation felt by black and
Arab youths in poor, French suburbs.

Then logically a black news anchor would alienate the French youths,
wouldn't he? And a female news anchor would alienate the male youths.
And a male anchor would alienate young women. And so on.

Given this, an anchor who represents the most "typically" French
person would be the best choice. And in fact that's how news anchors
have traditionally been chosen, in France and everywhere else.

After the riots, President Chirac urged all the French media, and
especially television companies, to make greater effort to hire
journalists from ethnic minorities.

TF1 said it had hired Roselmack to respond to the President's appeal
but also because "he is a very good journalist".

So Roselmack is a token.

"Pretty soon, no one will see the black man on the television, only the
journalist."

You mean things will return to the way they already are, with nobody
seeing the white man, but only the journalist? In that case, why make
a special effort to put a black man on the screen?

Azouz Begag, the Minister for Equality of Opportunity, said the
appointment was a "great step forward" because television was the
"mirror in which society looks at itself".

It's a great step backward, because it sounds like Affirmative Action,
which has been a pox on American society for decades.

If television is indeed the mirror of society, then the image in the
mirror should be an accurate reflection, not an image painted to
create an impression that serves only one special-interest group.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

Martin writes:

On Sat, 11 Mar 2006 06:44:31 +0100, Mxsmanic
wrote:

eetinBelgië writes:

Although journalists of Arab or African origin, such as Roselmack, have
presented the news on minor channels or out of prime time, the main
news bulletins have been an all-white preserve.

This was said to reinforce the sense of alienation felt by black and
Arab youths in poor, French suburbs.

Then logically a black news anchor would alienate the French youths,
wouldn't he? And a female news anchor would alienate the male youths.
And a male anchor would alienate young women. And so on.

Given this, an anchor who represents the most "typically" French
person would be the best choice. And in fact that's how news anchors
have traditionally been chosen, in France and everywhere else.

Not in UK or in NL. Neither have typically French or anything else
presenters.

All the presenters in Scandiwegia seem to be hot blonde wimmins with
amazing cheekbones. But then again, so do all the politicians they
interview.

Des