RTL Group | Paris, 01/14/2020

On A (Trans)Mission To Build Environmental Awareness

Subject: Media & Services, Environment
Country: France
Category: Project

From January 26 to February 2, Groupe M6 is dedicating almost the entire programming of all its channels to environmental protection. This underlines the company’s commitment to a topic that the French are currently deeply preoccupied with. The environmental special extends to the broadcaster’s magazine shows, radio programs and entertainment programming – and to its sister company Prisma Media.

Groupe M6 is underlining its sense of responsibility and commitment to protecting the environment with a green week in its programming. From January 26 to February 2, all of the French media group’s TV and radio channels and many of its formats will dedicate themselves to a topic that is currently preoccupying the French. 60 hours of programming revolve around environmental protection – from news and information in magazines such as “Capital”, “Turbo” and “Enquête exclusive” to great documentaries by Yann Arthus-Bertrand on 6play, to eco-comedy in “Scènes de ménages” and a child-friendly treatment of the topic on “Gulli.” Groupe M6’s partner for Green Week is its fellow Bertelsmann company Prisma Media: The G+J subsidiary plans to use the same approach for brands including “Capital,” “Femme Actuelle,” and “Télé-Loisirs.”

“Groupe M6 stations and radio stations have been covering and analyzing environmental issues for a long time, but 2020 is shaping up to be a crucial year for this,” says Jonathan Curiel, who as Deputy Program Director at Groupe M6 is responsible for magazine and documentary formats. He adds: “By programming all channels consistently during the week of January 26 to February 2, Groupe M6 aims to emphasize the central place that ecology occupies in its lineup. Our efforts also are designed to reflect the French people’s growing awareness of these issues and their specific consequences.” All of this goes hand in hand with the Media Group’s own measures to minimize its impact on the environment. They range from rigorous recycling, to reducing the use of paper and plastic, to the fact that M6 donates the food that is prepared for “Top Chef” year after year to the Red Cross after the broadcasts. Almost six tons of food have already been distributed in this way.

Curtain-raiser for further focus topics

But back to M6’s green week, which extends to all the magazine shows: For instance, the focus in “Capital” will be on changing consumer habits, a topic that will be discussed by the well-known environmentalist Nicolas Hulot, among others. “Enquête Exclusive” is dedicated to the increasing flooding in Bangladesh, and “66 Minutes” to food waste. For once, the car magazine “Turbo” won’t be gunning its engines, but will instead focus on the topic of electric mobility. The week’s edition of “Maison à vendre” is about ecological house insulation, and “Scènes de ménages” picks up on the topic in its comedy sketches. Meanwhile, RTL Radio will focus on the environment in its primetime programming, i.e. the morning magazine “RTL Matin” weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9.30 a.m., broadcasting reports and letting experts have their say. Other programs throughout the day will also regularly address the week’s focus topic.

The digital channels W9 and 6ter as well as the children’s channel Gulli are presenting the environmental theme in a way that appeals to their respective target groups. For example, W9 is broadcasting the concert “Les stars chantent pour la planète,” while 6ter is showing the movie “Le jour d'après” (“The Day After”). The daily children’s magazine “Wazup” on Gulli will highlight matters of environmental protection on each day of the green week, “Gu’Live” will run a special, and the iconic series “Il était une fois ...” will build awareness for the subject among the youngest viewers. Anyone who wishes to (re-)view Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s great nature documentaries can stream his films and series on 6ter. And of course environmental coverage on Groupe M6’s channels won’t end on February 2. The group promises that the theme week is only the curtain-raiser to ongoing editorial focus of its television, radio and streaming lineup in 2020.