MUMBAI: With the aim of offering a viewpoint different from global news channels CNN and BBC the French government has launched its international news channel France 24. The channel has two feeds - French and English.

The channel's CEO Alain de Pouzilhac ws quoted in media repotrs saying that the channel will focus on in-depth reporting and debate, culture and the art of living. Initial coverage will extend to 75 million households in over 90 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and should expand to North America and Asia in the near future.

The aim of France 24 is to offer a 'third way'. This would be an alternative to the bipolar discourse by Anglo-Saxon BBC World and CNN on one hand and Middle Eastern Al-Jazeera on the other. Media reports add that although the France 24 website is trilingual in French, English and Arabic television programmes in Arabic will only begin from the middle of next year. Spanish shows will launch in 2009.