Is CFI a television ?

Between 1999 and 2004, CFI published CFI-TV, a television channel popular that lasting impression in the minds of sub-Saharan Africa.

Today, CFI is not a broadcaster and is addressed more directly to viewers but continues activity distribution programs for the benefit of 80 African television.

In addition, CFI has expanded its scope to all media, even if the interventions around the issues of television remain the majority.

What relationships exist between CFI and the France Médias Monde (FMM) ?

FMM regroups French television and radio stations which broadcast internationally (RFI, Monte Carlo Doualiya, France 24) and represents French interests within the TV5 Monde French television station. All of these broadcasters are media which is intended for the general public, and have the mission of transmitting French culture, language and values.

CFI is oriented towards providing assistance to development and works, not for the general public, but exclusively for professionals and companies in the media sector in countries to the South of the Mediterranean. In this regard, today there are no legal or operational relationships between the CFI and the FMM, whose complementary missions are funded by entirely distinct budgetary programmes. 

However, international French media have teams of high quality, who are often multilingual, and therefore have high-levels of potential which CFI uses more and more. In this regard, CFI has signed conventions with FMM, TV5 Monde and Euronews.

Is CFI a commercial broadcaster or a cooperation agency?

CFI is a public agency for media cooperation, with the goal of gradually assisting its partners in the Southern hemisphere to develop market logics, and therefore with the vocation of being replaced by commercial broadcasters as soon as our partners gain a sufficient degree of autonomy.

In parallel, CFI has today brought an end, aside for a few exceptions, to the principle of free services and is requesting that partners benefitting from its services provide some financial contribution towards the cost of initiatives taken.

Does CFI operate across the entire globe?

By vocation, CFI solely operates in developing or emerging countries. In accordance with the priorities outlined by the French Cooperation, the resources and initiative are today primarily focussed on the Arab world and Sub-Saharan Africa, and subsequently towards the Balkan States, the Caucasus and some Asian countries.

Who benefits from CFI operations and services?

CFI initiatives fall within a framework focussing on sustainable development and organisation of the media and production and exclude any form of charity.

Requests issued by established organisations (media groups, companies, professional associations) which include credible plans for modernisation or development in the long-term are favoured iver individual or one-off requests.

CFI supports both public and private organisations without any preference over one or the other, as long as the organisation shows a deep-rooted commitment towards working to meet long-term shared objectives, a commitment which in general will be made formal by a convention making provision for contributions from both parties.

How can you request assistance from CFI?

To request assistance from CFI, please contact the regional management offices for Africa and the Mediterranean / Asia:

- Africa Regional Management Office:
Director: Jocelyn Grange jge@cfi.fr

- Mediterranean/Asian Regional Management Office:
Director: David Hivet dht@cfi.fr 

How can you become a CFI expert?

In order to implement cooperation projects, CFI is continuously recruiting professionals in the media domain, for periods running from several days at a time to several months, with the average being around 1 to 2 weeks.

These experts may be on a salary, self-employed or freelance. In addition to recognised professional skills, they should additionally have the desire to share these skills with stakeholders in the southern hemisphere, in professional contexts which are often much different from those in which they traditionally work. 
The ability to work in English or Arabic is a much valued asset.

Interested in applying…