Promoting pluralism and content diversity

AFRICA: LAGARDÈRE STUDIOS SEEKING LOCAL TALENT

Lagardère Studios’ presence in French-speaking Africa is a major part of our international development.

It started over a year ago with the creation of the DIFFA distribution company, which has over 550 hours of programmes and 50 producer partners, followed shortly afterwards by the purchase of a majority stake in Keewu, a Senegalese company that makes drama series. DPEF (De Père En Fils productions), together with Gondwana-City, is producing Le Parlement du Rire, a series consisting of 26 episodes of 26 minutes each that will soon be broadcast on African channel A+.

We have also formed a framework agreement with CFI⁽¹⁾ in order to identify and train local talent, which is a key aspect of our policy.

⁽¹⁾ Canal France International (CFI) is the co-operation agency of the France’s foreign affairs and international development ministry, and its role is to co –ordinate and lead France’s media development aid policy in Southern countries. It works with public- and private-sector entities in the media sector in order to strengthen the modernisation and democratisation process that France wants to support.