13/12/2002 - “Culture on TV? It’s on the air while the French are sleeping.” Clément's Report' Conclusions and proposals about broadcasting

Debate concerning the role of public television has opened again with the publication of the report about culture and audiovisual media prepared by philosopher Catherine Clément. The Clément Report, which was requested by French Minister of Culture Jean-Jacques Aillagon on June 7, 2002, analyzed and evaluated current public television networks, their quality, and daily programming.
The main conclusion drawn by Clément boils down to one thing: “Currently, cultural programs are offered to the French public during the hours they are asleep”. Cathérine Clément is now proposing a rescheduling of programs that would anticipate late evening shows and allow a wider public to watch cultural programs. Her report calls for several changes: prime time programs concerning cultural events; television news programs will be required to report on cultural topics; a new management opening for a director of art and culture at France Télévisions, and finally, an increase in the current budget allotted for French public television (the present one is considered insufficient). Furthermore, Catherine Clément emphasized the necessity an amendment to the Constitution concerning the rights and responsibilities of public service entities.
The idea, however, received a cool welcome by the Minister of Culture, who judges it to be an “atomic bomb”. Aillagon would instead prefer “a study of the means that would be necessary in order to meet the same ends, without having to resort to such drastic measures.” Jean-Jacques Aillagon also added that he intended to express his own opinions concerning culture on television (especially on France 2 and France 3) to the President of France Télévisions, Marc Tessier, by the end of January.

(Translated from French)