The New Watchdogs Page #3

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the people they interview.

When it comes down to it,

the y're all from the same world.

They're like one big family.

Some went into politics,

some into business,

some into journalism.

That's the feeling you get.

They share the same lifestyle,

the same values, the same friendships.

They stay at the same hotels,

they vacation in the same places.

It really is a family.

"I'll roar and claw

to defend my husband"

This closeness

is so real

that it sometimes turns to passion.

Overt love affairs,

displayed and sold in glossy magazines.

Where else but in France,

the homeland of love?

AUDREY AND ARNAUD

IN LOVE FOR ALL TO SEE

OCKRENT "I'M COMING BACK"

Christine Ockrent

went one step further.

In 2008, when her husband

was Foreign Minister,

she was appointed deputy chief

of foreign broadcasting

by the French President himself.

France Monde,

France's new world broadcasting service,

will oversee

newborn TV channel France 24,

French-speaking TV 5 Monde,

and Radio France Internationale.

Alain de Pouzilhac will head the group,

seconded by Christine Ockrent.

M. Pouzilhac

is a presidential appointee,

as is his deputy, Christine Ockrent.

40 years after Peyrefitte,

the freedom of the press

has made great strides.

The Minister no longer needs

to hype his government's policy on TV.

His wife does it for him every day.

It seems antiquated...

or Soviet.

In my opinion, Claire Chazal,

money and politics

should be kept separate.

Neither should control the other,

especially if the money

also owns big media companies.

This news program made history.

For the first time

since it was privatized,

a party leader challenged

TF1's independence, live on air.

Not because its journalists

were in league with politicians

but because France's top TV channel

was funded by big business.

Believe me,

the country is in trouble

when very big financial

and industrial interests

are combined with

very big media interests

and also have very close links

with the Government.

Attacked by a parliamentarian

who voted to privatize TF1 in 1987,

Claire Chazal fights back.

The channel's star anchor

won't let anyone

slander her employer,

the Bouygues Group.

And she's not the only journalist

to be employed by a conglomerate.

Here's an example,

this time from public TV.

Tonight there's a meeting

of two big media stars.

One is a famous variety show host,

the other a former news anchor.

Michel Drucker,

past and future employee

of the Lagardere Group,

plays host to Jean-Pierre Elkabbach,

past and present employee

of the same Group.

And who is their guest?

Arnaud Lagardere, their boss.

Arnaud, thanks a million.

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