Francophonie Multilingualism
Global media outlets to speak to the world in French and 20 other languages
France Médias Monde broadcasts its programmes in 20 foreign languages so that it can speak ‘closely’ to its audiences on five continents. However, French is the Group’s international hallmark and the glue that holds it together, and France Médias monde is actively contributing to the promotion of the French-speaking world and the learning of the French language, which go hand-in-hand with the multilingualism that characterises the Group.
Speaking to the world in 21 languages, reaching out to our audiences everywhere
French, English, Arabic, Spanish, Brazilian, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Fula, Hausa, Khmer, Kiswahili, Mandingo, Persian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian and Vietnamese
Talking closely to audience means primarily speaking their language alongside French. This is why France Médias Monde pursues a resolutely multilingual broadcasting policy, to offer all its non-French-speaking audiences free, independent and balanced news in all languages.
This approach is a winning one, because while audiences for our French-language offerings continue to grow, consumption of FMM’s foreign-language programmes now accounts for the majority of overall consumption of all our media.
This linguistic proximity is also accompanied by a geographical proximity to anchor our media as close as possible to their audience areas:
- In Africa around a centre in Dakar with RFI newsrooms in Mandingo and Fula; in Lagos with RFI’s Hausa-language editorial office; and in Nairobi with RFI’s Kiswahili editorial office;
- In Europe and its peripheries, with a centre based in Bucharest which hosts the editorial offices of RFI România and RFI in Ukrainian;
- In the Arab world, through a hub in the Near and Middle East with a 100% digital Arabic-language editorial office to support France 24 and MCD Arabic offerings (websites, applications, social networks);
- In Latin America with France 24’s Spanish-language editorial office based in Bogota;
- In Asia with RFI’s Khmer-language editorial office based in Phnom Penh.
And all over the world, thanks to the extensive network of correspondents of RFI, France 24 and Monte Carlo Doualiya, as well as RFI’s permanent special envoys.
Francophonie at the heart of France Médias Monde’s offering
France Médias Monde actively helps to promote Francophonie and supports learning the French language. These go hand-in-hand with the Group’s strategy of multilingualism and proximity.
With its multilingual channels and digital offerings, France Médias Monde provides non-French-speaking audiences with a French perspective on international news and, in many cases, brings viewers and listeners into contact with the French language. This is particularly true of RFI’s foreign-language channels, which rely on local programming with a time slot in the local language which is always incorporated into the French-language offering. Methods for learning French from each of the Group’s languages have also been developed for listeners and Internet users.
RFI offers ‘Le français facile avec RFI’ a website for learning French by listening to international radio, entirely free of charge and adapted to new uses with innovations that improve the experience for learners. The website offers many podcasts including the ‘Journal en français facile’ broadcast every day on air. All the audio content is accompanied by exercises and teaching resources that capitalise on RFI’s wealth of French language learning resources, developed by its French Language Service. The website also enables you to find all of RFI’s bilingual radio programmes to learn French from foreign languages.
Go to Le Français Facile avec RFI’s website
France Médias Monde also works closely with other key players in the French-speaking world and in promoting the learning of the French language: regular editorial cooperation with TV5 Monde; collaboration with the OIF (International Organisation of La Francophonie) and the International French Language City of Villers-Cotterêts : making French language learning content available on Lumni (the joint educational offering of the French public broadcasting sector); and actions undertaken as part of the Media Engagement Foundation for Youth (of which FMM is a founding member).
Finally, France Médias Monde’s active policy of awarding prizes and supporting young talent is also fully in line with the promotion of the French language, whether through literature, music, theatre, etc.