This time, I promise, there will be no tension! After having lost their way for three weeks around the consequences of the short-lived clear passage of Canal +, TF1, France Télévisions, M6 and the encrypted channel are now united, in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. Like a dozen other media groups (the four operators Bouygues Telecom, Free, Orange and SFR, the Pathé and Gaumont studios, the production company Reservoir Prod, Brut, etc.), all have joined the initiative of Mediawan .
This French audiovisual production giant, which owns 24 companies - including those behind the series "les Bracelets rouges", "Dix pour cent", "Alice Nevers" - has decided to launch a free television channel throughout the duration of confinement. Called #Alamaison, it will be inaugurated this Monday. Every day between 7 am and midnight, it will only offer cultural and educational content, for young and old.
“Unfortunately, the media sector does not have the technical means to help manufacture or transport masks or hydroalcoholic gel. We cannot help with the sale or transportation of food either. But it was essential that we also help the French in this very difficult period, explains Pierre-Antoine Capton, the founder of Mediawan, who set up this project in less than a week. We all have lots of great shows in our closets. It would have been a waste not to make them available to the public. "
"The CSA said yes in less than 24 hours"
“When the confinement was announced, we first took care of the safety of our employees. All the series shooting stopped, and we looked at how we could continue to work, continues the manager contacted by phone. And then we wondered how we could help caregivers and hospitals. We set up this chain in five days. "
Free, #Alamaison will have no advertising and will therefore not generate any profit. But all of the companies that collaborate in it commit to making a donation to the Tous unis contre le virus alliance, which associates the Fondation de France, the AP-HP and the Institut Pasteur.
Man of networks, the producer of "C à vous" on France 5 has mobilized his address book to manufacture this ephemeral channel, accessible free of charge to the 37 million French who receive television via an ADSL box, as well as to subscribers to MyCanal. Technically, Mediawan, which has 17 cable channels (RTL9, AB1, AutoMoto or Sciences & vie TV) will take advantage of an unused channel to broadcast it. "The CSA said yes in less than 24 hours, especially because there is no advertising," notes Pierre-Antoine Capton. Cost of the operation, "one hundred thousand euros, depending on the duration of confinement, which essentially correspond to the costs of dissemination and which are entirely at our expense," he adds.
Ali Baddou will answer children's questions
Concretely, each associated media has graciously provided programs, series or films available in its closets. On the menu, popular science programs such as “The Wizarding Spirit” which succeeded “It's not rocket science” and which is presented by Fred Courant, or the videos of the famous youtubers Dr Nozman or Léo Grasset. Magazines and documentaries, numerous meetings devoted to history and cooking are also planned.
"Given the deadlines, everything is still under construction, but we also hope to make new programs, such as a children's news," says the boss of Mediawan. Ali Baddou was mobilized to pilot the flagship program of # Alamaison. The journalist, associate of philosophy, will answer questions of children every day for a quarter of an hour.
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In the evening, the channel will offer a cinema classic, essentially historical films or adaptations of illustrious books like "1492, Christopher Columbus", by Ridley Scott with Gérard Depardieu in the title role, "Au revoir les enfants", by Louis Malle, "les Misérables" with Jean Gabin, "Poil de carrot" by Richard Bohringer or "Microcosmos" produced by Jacques Perrin. To see or see again with the family.
