Providing information worldwide

RFI, France 24 and MCD share a common mission: to provide free, independent, expert and balanced information on world news.

Professional and independent news

Honesty in news involves fact-checking, impartiality and respect for multiple points of view. The Group actively fights against fake news and all forms of manipulation, drawing on its multilingual editorial teams and network of correspondents in every country in the world, as well as its monitoring, analysis and fact-checking capabilities, thanks in particular to France 24’s unique network of 5,000 Observers and RFI’s ‘InfoVérif’ unit.

Leading media outlets in debunking fake news

No less than fifteen programmes are now working to uncover and dismantle the fake news that is spreading across the digital world, in French and 20 other languages. All the Group’s websites and apps have a ‘Stop fake news’ tab in the different media outlets’ languages. FMM is also a member of leading international fact-checking groups and networks such as the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) and the European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN).

The Group is also stepping up its internal organisation dedicated to debunking fake news, with a digital verification and investigation unit created at RFI in 2023, InfoVérif, to complement the France 24 Observers. They work cross-functionally with all the Group’s editorial teams, particularly those producing locally in African languages.

A presence in every part of the world to provide independent news on every continent

FMM’s action in favour of freedom of information reflects in the presence of its media and editorial teams in all parts of the world, particularly in areas where people do not have access to free information. The Group’s media outlets aim to cover all the news, including in high-risk areas, with the safety of their teams as a top priority.

Investigation

The Group’s editorial teams also carry out investigations, separately or jointly (internally between RFI, France 24 and MCD, or in partnership with other media outside FMM). This investigative work is an integral part of the right to inform and be informed. Its organisation has been strengthened to ensure the safety of the journalists in charge of these investigations, as well as their sources.

Journalists’ safety, a corollary to freedom of information

Due to high security risks, a Security Director at France Médias Monde is tasked with assessing and protecting FMM’s journalists against risks by implementing tools and procedures. Working with experienced journalists, the Group has designed a specific training course for reporting in dangerous areas, delivered by the FMM Academy. This course, aimed at the group’s employees and correspondents in particular (over 300 journalists trained since 2014) is also open to all other public and private media, who can find it in INA (National Audiovisual Institute)’s training catalogue.

As well as safety in the field, online hate and cyber harassment are also risks to which journalists are very exposed. To raise awareness among editorial staff and help them adopt the right habits, FMM has drawn up a guide to protect against online hate and illicit digital content, and how to behave in the event of personal attacks in the digital environment. The Group also deploys an active policy of monitoring and moderation on social networks.

Finally, against a backdrop of increasing cyber-attacks, FMM is implementing a reinforced cyber-security policy, in conjunction with the other public broadcasting companies, as part of a joint SOC (Security Operation Centre).