No resounding transfer window on the side of Arte, which organized this Thursday, September 7 its back-to-school press conference at the Gaîté lyrique (Paris, IIIe). “Against the tide of all,” joked Bruno Patino, president of the Franco-German channel, proud to offer a “different offer”, which meets to the “need for discernment, freedom, quality and reliability”.
Among the highlights of the coming year, the documentary series “Guardians of the forest” will be accompanied, for the first time, by an impact campaign aimed at raising awareness of political decision-makers and the general public about the climate emergency.
Faced with “the worrying deterioration of the world”, “making documentaries is no longer enough. It is our responsibility as media to do more,” said Muriel Barra, co-producer of the series for Lato Sensu productions. In addition to the broadcast, in December, of five episodes each highlighting the environmental and human issues related to the great primary forests of the globe, from Canada to Mongolia, via Brazil, Papua and Gabon, Arte will bring together five “guardians” in France.
“Journalism that objects, not opinions that spread”
The Europe channel intends to show this collection at the Parliament in Strasbourg, as well as at the Commission in Brussels, during key moments. Interventions, particularly with the school public, will also be organised. Other “impact campaigns” will follow, promises the channel.
A year after the release of the study carried out jointly with the Jean-Jaurès Foundation on information fatigue, Arte considers that it is responding to the “challenge of acceleration” by offering a large place to documentaries. More than ever, Renée Kaplan, new director of information, intends to favor “the news of thoughtful time”, while Élisabeth Quin, presenter of “28 minutes” defends “journalism which objects, and not opinions which spread “.
On the fiction side – “which makes reality bearable” recalled Boris Razon, editorial director -, Arte notably highlighted “Under Control”, a political comedy carried by Léa Drucker, who plays an NGO director appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs the day five Europeans are taken hostage by terrorists in the Sahel. Crowned best French series at the Séries Mania festival last March, it will be broadcast at the beginning of October.