On February 1, 2021, Culturebox was born on channel 19 of TNT. A channel set up in a few days and intended to support culture and live performance while the rooms were closed due to the health crisis. The experiment was only planned for three months. Until a tweet from Emmanuel Macron in May 2021 to announce the extension of the adventure, but on another channel, the 14th, with France 4 during the day and Culturebox from 8 p.m.
Animation and education channel, France 4 has taken a special place in homes, especially since the pandemic. I would like it to pursue its mission around two axes: youth during the day, culture in the evening, to prolong the success of the Culturebox experience.
—Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 18, 2021
“I thought I was hallucinating! We had a few rumours. I believe that the crisis has shown that our mobilizations of all our branches have enabled the population, both with school at home, to continue to offer educational continuity to children, and us.” , says Michel Field, the director of the cultural center of France Télévisions.
“We showed that the show was still alive when the theaters were closed. If that’s not social utility, there isn’t!”
Michael Fieldon franceinfo
After a year of existence and while concerts, plays and other ballets have resumed, Culturebox, which broadcast 2,000 hours of live performances and received 1,600 artists in Culturebox the show presented by Daphné Burki and Raphael Yem, is it still essential?
“Yes, because the middle of the show is still very traumatized by what happened. And then, that’s it, we are installed in the landscape, so it will not be the same type of support. will not be in the place of the show, but it will be a showcase to encourage people to leave television and go to the theaters. The idea that the public service can have a cultural channel, it is all the same a very, very nice story.” replies Michel Field.
A story that has only just begun. The chain is still “under construction” as Michael Field says: “We have lots of ideas. First, we have to make the channel more eventful. At some point, we will have to perhaps do themed weeks, also put ourselves at the service of cultural events. We have started to do so with the launch of the Series Mania Festival, for example. We know we’re going to the Cannes Film Festival because France Télévisions is now its partner. It’s probably the Culturebox team that will provide the daily broadcasts. We are going to do an operation at the time of the Angoulême Comics Festival. And then open up even more to all aspects of pop culture: street art, fashion, everything that is creative impulse in the country. emphasizes Michel Field.
Still, Culturebox has limited means: around 20 million euros. And no extension is planned for the moment. No audience measurements either, it’s a choice of France Télévisions: “We decided not to submit to the little religion of ratings. Not that the audiences weren’t good, but we didn’t want to have that pressure because otherwise there’s no point in launching something a bit experimental. It’s a luxury to be able to get rid of audience measurement. We’re not going to use it right away.” says Michael Field.
To celebrate its 1st anniversary, Culturebox is offering a special week: for example, a Jean-Louis Aubert evening on Wednesday February 2 and Thursday the show Building B hosted by Oxmo Puccino, with Soprano and Imany.