Laura Hayoun appears on BFM TV to mark World Down Syndrome Day

Laura Hayoun with "Premiere edition" co-anchors Christophe Delay and Pascale de La Tour du Pin (screenshot BFM TV)

 
BFM TV might not be your favourite French television channel, but there's no doubting its success.

Launched in 2005, it's freely available on TNT (digital television) satellite and cable and has become, according to industry figures, the leading news network in France - a label it's more than happy to share with viewers.

It operates on the same principle as CNN, delivering rolling news at a fast pace (by French standards) sometimes giving extensive coverage to breaking stories to the extent that nothing much seems to be happening a great deal of the time.

You know the sort of thing: President's 'plane arrives somewhere and there's a BFM TV journalist (among the throng) on-hand waiting to describe every breath-taking moment as the air-stairs are manœuvred into position, the door opens and he (or sometimes she) makes an appearance before pressing the flesh with the reception committee.

Zzzzzz.

Yes sometimes rolling news and the requirement to fill air time produces less-than magnificent viewing.

Every weekday morning "Premiere edition", hosted by co-anchors Christophe Delay and Pascale de La Tour du Pin (you might think that something of a mouthful but have pity on her husband Jean-Philippe, comte de La Tour du Pin Chambly de La Charce) brings viewers the news as we've all come to "love and accept" it - bite-size and easily digestible.

There's a mix of conviviality with professionalism, but you probably shouldn't watch more than 15 minutes otherwise you'll discover yourself in "Groundhog Day" territory because that's the nature of rolling news.

Except on Thursday something different happened, proving that BFM can indeed sometimes get things very right.

Laura Hayoun (screenshot BFM TV)

March 21 was the eighth anniversary of World Down Syndrome Day, an event which the channel was determined to mark by inviting 19-year-old Laura Hayoun on to the show and having her read some the eight o'clock headlines alongside La Tour du Pin.

It was a great and heartwarming television moment and one to be repeated by Hayoun who has also been invited to appear on Alessandra Sublet's "C à vous" on France 5 and has  interviewed journalist Yves Calvi on his programme on RTL radio.

And BFM TV will be airing a special "day in the life" report on Hayoun on Saturday evening's "7 jour BFM" show.



Behind the scenes -  a report on the preparations for going live.