Living in France, we watch the French TV news and read French newspapers. We need to know what’s going on and what people are talking about.
Of course, we do keep an eye on the UK media headlines, but what is going on across the Channel is a little distant.
Something I did expect, but am still surprised about is the difference of emphasis between the media of the two countries. Even big international events like the US presidential election are covered in a different way.
Over the past month, the European parliamentary elections have been big news in France. There have been debates on prime-time TV, lots of coverage on the evening news programmes and in the newspapers, as well as public meetings in our town attended by hundreds of people.
It has been difficult to find very much coverage at all in the UK media and most of it has appeared to be anti-European.
Perhaps this British anti-European sentiment is easier to pick up when you’re on mainland Europe. One story that has been quite bizarre is the fuss around D-Day.
This weekend there are huge celebrations across Basse-Normandie, remembering those allied soldiers, sailors and airmen who were willing to give their lives to liberate Europe from Nazi tyranny.
In every town and village in the region, local councils, veterans groups representing all the allied servicemen and the various governments have organised and supported these commemorations.
All week the regional media has been full of soldiers’ stories and information about the events this weekend. Last night there was a stunning co-ordinated firework display that stretched all along the D-Day beaches.
Today, live footage of the official events has been on national TV from 9 o’clock this morning and will continue until this evening. Films and documentaries about D-Day and the battle for Normandy have been on numerous TV stations for several weeks too.
Yet the UK media is focusing on the claim that France has chosen to ignore the sacrifices made by British soldiers in 1944 and have deliberately insulted the memory of these soldiers by not inviting the Queen to Normandy.
I understand that anti-French rhetoric is always good for a few votes or to sell a few newspapers, but this is utterly ridiculous and I have found it quite revolting.
For their part, I think the French have handled this ‘crisis’ very well. They could have pointed out to the world that it was the British head of state who had chosen not to attend the commemorations (‘we’ don't do the anniversaries with a 5 in them, apparently) and clearly the Queen had already arranged her day-trip to the Epsom Derby.
Instead the French government continued organising a very moving commemoration, letting the British media continue to froth and foam at the mouth, and asked again, through diplomatic channels, if the UK would accept an invitation if issued formally. This time the answer was ‘yes’ and an official invitation was sent. End of crisis.
