It is like a tradition at the FIFO. Each year, all the representatives of the Oceanian televisions gather for a symposium at the Maison de la Culture. A professional meeting for the sector which presents the issues and challenges as well as the initiatives of each and everyone. Pascal Lechevallier, a specialist in new media, reviews the 19th edition of the FIFO conference.
Every year at the FIFO, you gather around a table to discuss. What was this year’s discussion about?
We had three round tables devoted to three subjects that are vastly different from each other, but which are at the heart of the focus on the media and in particular television channels. The first topic concerned disinformation, which has become the priority topic for all TV channels dealing with information. During the second session, we dealt with “glocal” production, i.e., everything that local production, in Anglo-Saxon countries as well as in French Polynesia or New Caledonia, could have as an impact and positive consequences in working with platforms, which are the main innovators in terms of programmes. And therefore, how Oceanic TV could weigh more in the balance to have more representation on the big platforms (Netflix, Disney +, Amazon, etc.). Finally, the last sequence talked about innovation and the evolution of the television business, particularly with the rise in the power of podcasts. The idea was therefore to see how channels were integrating audio work into image strategies. What is interesting in this case is the confrontation between the Anglo-Saxon world of the Pacific and the Francophone world of the Pacific.
What came out of it?
These round tables present a good opportunity to compare each other’s methods to see what good practices can be used and put in place. We were exchanging testimonies. On disinformation, everyone spoke about the safeguards put in place at an editorial level and the work that is done to ensure that people oversee monitoring and moderating social networks. It was more of a sequence of discussions that can inspire channels of one sort or another by seeing what others are doing. As for the second session, “glocal” production, a subject that has been around for several years now, we still hope that it will lead to something concrete between the channels, through the creation of a platform. Because when you can’t impose yourselves on others, efforts should be undertaken to make something emerge. We could see what the Anglo-Saxon channels had set up through a platform, starting to broadcast royalty-free content and open the door to a whole audience that does not have access to this content. If you are not in a region of the world, you don’t know, so it is important to be able to share it, and this is one of the roles of the FIF0. The idea is that French-speaking channels should find inspiration in this initiative either by joining it or by trying to set up a platform. I hope that one day we will achieve an Oceanic platform that can bring together the small islands and large Anglo-Saxon territories and the French-speaking territories. As for the third session, it was a working session that allowed us to see what strategies the channels were putting in place to create podcasts and content. This exchange proved that we were more advanced on the French side than on the Anglo-Saxon side. The idea is also to foster emulation and stimulate the teams.
What happens after these round tables?
Once the festival is over, it is difficult to maintain direction. During the discussions, we sense this lack, we don’t keep close ties, and this is one of the challenges of the FIFO Pro: to maintain the link between these different television channels and cultures. But on the other hand, some people return to their daily lives, so it is not easy. I think we need to circulate information and provide better support so that it leads to joint projects. This is one of the ambitions that should be reinforced.
Written by Sulianne Favennec
French