France Télévisions – Overseas Network 1st and ABC International have signed an agreement that will see increased coverage of Pacific events across the two networks.

The Pierre Riant Memorandum of Understanding 2015, named after the recently-deceased French journalist who presented 24 in the Pacific, was signed by representatives of both organisations in Papeete as part of the Oceanian International Documentary Film Festival (FIFO).

The MOU aims to build on the relationship between ABC International’s Radio Australia service and France Télévisions that began in 2005. It will see a growing exchange of Pacific content between the two broadcasters to all of the Pacific’s French-speaking territories.

Listeners in New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and Tahiti will now have access to a weekly seven-minute Pacific roundup 24 Hours in the Pacific as well as a three-and-a-half minute Pacific update produced by Radio Australia.  Radio Australia will also produce for France Televisions a weekly three-to-four minute programme plus two video reports per month which will be broadcast on the first Outremer Network.

The MOU was signed by the CEO of Outremer 1st Network, Michael Kops and the Head of Pacific and Mekong for ABC International, Domenic Friguglietti.