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Frédéric Antoine. Observatoire du Récit médiatique (ORM) École de Journalisme de Louvain(EJL) Département de Communication Université Catholique de Louvain Louvain-la-Neuve Belgique.
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Frédéric Antoine Observatoire du Récit médiatique (ORM) École de Journalisme de Louvain(EJL) Département de Communication Université Catholique de Louvain Louvain-la-Neuve Belgique « La spectacularisation des personnalités politiques dans les programmes de télévision de la Communauté française »
Frédéric Antoine Observatoire du Récit médiatique (ORM) École de Journalisme de Louvain(EJL) Département de Communication Université Catholique de Louvain Louvain-la-Neuve Belgique « La spectacularisation des personnalités politiques dans les programmes de télévision de la Communauté française »
Belgian reputation… Ministre Michel Dardenne
Starting impressions • Men and women politicians became « media characters » • Media are more interested in politicians as « real people » (men and women) • The lives of political personalities are more important than their speeches • The political debate disappears, and only the characters remain
Specificities of French speaking Belgium (CFWB) • A community in 2 territories: Wallonia and Brussels (“Communauté française Wallonie-Bruxelles- CFWB) • A small country mainly influenced on cultural and mediatic fields by its neighbour France • In France, the media use to consider politicians as “ real people”, specially in television • The situation is less “dramatic” in French speaking Belgium. But…
The research • Analyse of television programs where politicians are involved. • Inquiries near all the members of the French Speaking Parliament • Interviews with political leaders • Interviews with journalists, producers and directors of television channels
The research • The central question of research had been put by the CSA (“conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel”) and relayed by the Parliament. • We found extremely different point of view.
The politicians • They criticize television : • For most of them, tv refuses more and more to give word to politicians, and prefer to show them in Infotainment programs. • Some of them recognize they agree to take part to shows and entertainment programs because they think it is the only mean to meet a wide part of the population.
People of the media • They try to explain the specificies of tv as media: they need to show something. • They point out that they keep a part of their programs for ideas and political speeches • They underline that a lot of politicians are ready to do anything if they are sure they will be seen in a show and that most of the politicians are firstly interested by their image.
The content • In CFWB, we still have “political programs” on tv. • The themes are more and more linked to society problems and less to political subjects • The programs use frequently testimonies and witnesses • Speaking time granted to each speaker is rather short
The content • Politicians take sometimes part to entertainment programs where they agree to speak about themselves. • Some programs based on long duration interviews show the politicians in their lives outside the Parliament. • Public Television has still “political tribunes” and specific programs for the parties before each election. These programs are quite “classical”… • (They can speak to the audience as if they were speaking at the Parliament speaker’s platform)
Our conclusions • It is almost normal that television wants to “show” the political world. • That is not new. Long duration interviews with politicians exist at the Public Belgian tv since mid-sixties. • Television is a showing media. To make a good television program, you need to have good characters and action. • Only speaking programs are not televisual • The making of a program can make the screen more dynamic but is not often able to keep the audience • Politicians have to understand the specificies of the media and exploite them rather than criticize.
Our conclusions • The politicians take part to the “planet people” • Today, they are members of the media star-system. • In CFWB, we do not have a lot of “local stars” (main of our stars are French stars). • Media are interested in “people” stories. • They are “obliged” to focus on the politicians. If they agree.
Our conclusions • In CFWB, most of the time, television do not attack the private life of politicians. • But a trend exists to carry more interest to it. Because of • Media competition • French media influence • The more and more important role of narrative in the media story telling
Our conclusions • Until now, we did not meet a lot a problems between politicians and the media. • Media need to show politicians • Some of them are ready to dot that. • But the political debate has disappeared. It has no more place in television, that focuses on “talk-show” rather than on debates.
Our questions • What do the politicians do to avoid to be considered as a members of the “star-system”? • Is that not in relation with the egocentric character of a lot of politicians? • Where is held today the political debate? • The television channels are still the “symbolic agora” of our post-modern societes? • What is the role of tv in a democratic society?