cafebabel.com

Scapegoat Spain: cucumber-hating Germans, sports-jealous French?

('Kathryn Morgan',) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:40:40 -0000

In early February the French puppet show 'Les Guignols de l'info' - rather like the UK's 'Spitting Image' - broadcast three satirical videos poking fun at Spanish sportsmen for doping. The Spanish nation say the French crossed the line. The pan-European journalist collective 'Europa451' released this blunt leading article inviting its neighbours to do some soul-searching

Dinner for one in 2012

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:32:23 -0000

The Brits have spent the end of year in a 'lull' whilst the Germans are going through 'new year's fatigue'. In their new year's addresses at least, Europe's Franco-German leaders warned us it won't be getting any better this new year

Most expensive EU TV production Borgia: outsiders from Spain in renaissance Italy

('ZoeBBee',) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:58:00 -0000

The fifteenth century Italian crime family is the subject of a hit Franco-German TV series originally filmed in Prague and screened as of this summer in three European countries. We discuss reality and fiction with French Borgia expert Pol Bruno at his welcoming home on the Breton coast

Three gays and a christian democrat: Irish presidential elections

('Tim Mac an Airchinnigh',) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:01:18 -0000

What do an 81-year-old sports commentator, a ‘Dragon’s Den’ panelist and an international gay rights activist (David Norris, pictured) have in common? They’ve all been put forth for the Irish presidency. But as the government scrambles to hold onto the ‘highest office in the land’, the public is steadily boiling with rage. Elections take place on 27 October

Pope Benedict on TV on 22 April: church in crisis?

('Tina',) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:57:44 -0000

5pm on Good Friday or 22 April 2011. That's when the pope will make an appearance on Rai 1, the most popular television channel in Italy. The revolution in the catholic church follows suit from pope John Paul II. Television is a powerful means of communication where matters of faith and religion can be discussed; Joseph Ratzinger is taking it one step further by not only participating in the programme, but being open to questions

Aids, Alzheimers, abortion: Europe's most shocking adverts

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:31:20 -0000

From Spain and Italy's saucy adverts, via the UK and Germany's treatment of diseases, to Poland's nazi memories - a video tour of the banned adverts which most recently shocked modern European society

Young Europeans remember 9/11

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:38:28 -0000

It’s eight years since the attacks which killed 2, 752 people, destroyed the World Trade Centres and damaged the Pentagon on 11 September 2001. The cafebabel.com editorial team share their memories from across the waters on the event which shaped America and the world today

Poland: Solidarnosc 30th anniversary through Hackers cinema keyhole

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:08:41 -0000

'I'm taking over the TV network'...When we Poles watch the cult movie Hackers (1995) featuring Angelina Jolie, one line from the movie's main character makes us feel good to remember that the real takeover of the Polish TV network took place ten years before

Post-dictatorship Spanish TV: 20 years after Crystal Ball

('Jessie L.',) — Mon, 17 May 2010 09:15:00 -0000

‘I adore the economy, capital gain and dysentery!’ chanted an ‘ugly, evil and electrocuting’ puppet with bulging eyes and cables for hair. Bruja Avería (Breakdown Witch) was the wicked witch from the legendary eighties programme. It's been off-air for over twenty years, but audiences are still shocked by its brashness

Three Croatian journalists to remember on world press freedom day

('Josipa Pavli\xc4\x87',) — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:45:35 -0000

When renowned sports journalist Zarko Susic died a natural death aged 95 on 26 April, it was almost a shock that his passing wasn't suspicious. The US-based watchdog Freedom House ranks Croatia 85th in the world for its lack of press freedom

The Office, Spiral: tour of European TV shows, American style

('Nicola Potter',) — Mon, 03 May 2010 11:10:00 -0000

A lack of resources, ambition or originality mean that national TV series across Europe pale into insignificance beside hugely successful American shows such as House or Dexter. There are however some exceptions

Malviviendo vs Lisa Kudrow? The rise of EU web series

('James Friscia',) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:56:06 -0000

On 21 April, the UK screened US web series 'Penelope Princess of Pets' on Channel 4, whilst the former Friends actress has found success via the internet. Since 2007, young filmmakers in Spain and elsewhere are exploring formats in the competitive audiovisual world, boasting a more innovative, transgressive spirit than their TV counterparts

TV: can Europeans reverse the dominant American trend?

('Dave Keating',) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:45:00 -0000

As an American, there’s few places you can go to escape your home country. Sure, you can trek to an uncontacted tribe in the middle of the Amazon, or climb to a mountaintop in Tibet. But if you’re anywhere in civilisation and you turn on a TV, chances are it won’t take you more than a few minutes to find some American programming. It’s everywhere

Nick Clegg for European British prime minister?

("naomi o'leary",) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:13:10 -0000

Since 1918 the prime minister of Britain has been either labour or conservative. Red or blue. The 6 May elections were set to be no different. The two-party system seemed safe. Murdoch's papers screamed blue. Until Mr. Nick Clegg, leader of the liberal democrats, entered. The final televised leaders' debate in the UK takes place on 29 April

Europe falls in press freedom rankings

('James Friscia',) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:00:00 -0000

If the old continent believes it still represents the paradigm of press freedom, then it is in for a rude awakening: in the worldwide rankings of freedom of the press published by Reporters Without Borders, many European nations are in a state of free fall. Yet a defence organises for what Kant called 'freedom of the pen'

Europarl TV: 'technology is more fast-paced than the institutions'

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:15:00 -0000

In September 2008, the TV channel started streaming parliamentary sessions and news features on MEPs and their speeches on the European parliament’s webpage. The challenge is to give the institutions a human face - press service chief Jean-Yves Loog tells us how

Lorella Zanardo: real women 'endangered species' on Italian TV

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0000

Chat with the co-writer of the documentary 'Il Corpo delle Donne', which looks at how Italian TV dissects 'women’s bodies'. Since spring 2009, it has attained enormous exposure across all networks thanks to its intelligent and ruthless critique of Italian television

The randomness of voting and the media in Greece

('Susannah Readett-Bayley',) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

The country is experiencing a political and economic crisis of such enormity that prime minister Costas Karamanlis called a snap election on 5 October, which he promptly lost. Coverage was chaotic

'Papigate': same debate about women and media in Berlusconi era

('Helen Swain',) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:50:40 -0000

The salacious Italian scandal sustained newspapers worldwide for summer 2009. The uproar surrounds the personal, sexual, and not necessarily political activities of a prime minister who, in the word of his future ex-wife Veronica Lario, 'enjoys the company of the underaged'

FrauTV, Emma: women top the media tower in Cologne

('Lindsey Evans',) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:00:00 -0000

Over a third of German national TV programmes are produced in Cologne. Alongside the eight channels based on the banks of the Rhine, in ‘media city’, are the offices of the young, resolutely feminist FrauTV and the militant magazine Emma

European elections night: I was watching TV

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:55:58 -0000

The night that most centre-left governments took their batterings, you might have caught a show about an unemployed mother-of-two in Spain or the final of 'The Apprentice' in the UK. Glance at the programmes for which viewers gave up the EU election coverage ghost on the evening of 7 June; results came out at 8pm, signalling a lower voter turnout than 2004

Sexy EU election candidates from France to Romania via Lithuania

('Darren Thompson',) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:05:21 -0000

It's European election time again. As per usual there are some 'special' candidates hoping to win a seat. In 2004, a French orchestra conductor, a British actor, a Czech cosmonaut and even a Lithuanian hockey player became MEPs. What does the 2009 edition have in store for us? Featuring Elena Basescu, Barbara Matera and Donala Meiželytė-Svilienė

Video: German TV actor Inspektor Derrick dies

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:52:22 -0000

You might have heard of Horst Tappert, star of the cult crime series and the equivalent of the UK's Inspector Morse. The German actor passed away in a clinic on 13 December. He was 85

Telejato: family-run, mini-CNN in Partinico, Sicily

('Annika Thornton',) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:07:14 -0000

Pino Maniaci has created a family business through his miniature version of CNN. The ‘longest news programme in the world’, with its 150, 000 viewers, is a mini-broadcaster fighting against the local mafia, the Cosa Nostra

In Europe internet is in, TV is out

('Sarah Truesdale',) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Television audiences are diminishing, yet consumers have never been as interested in new content which is switching from one screen to another

‘Zapping’: reaping the rewards of other people’s productions

('Kate Stansfield',) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:10:41 -0000

Programmes made up of clips from other programmes are filling up European television schedules – the deal in Italy, France, Germany, Poland and Spain

'If poker is a sport, why do I have this stomach?'

('Annika Thornton',) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:35:02 -0000

Technique, strategy, maths, patience and more than a bit of luck: these are the ingredients necessary to qualify for the final table at the World Series of Poker Championships on 9 November. With nine million dollars up for grabs, Denmark’s Peter Eastgate is the only European representative for this debatable sport

Videos: EU’s powerful but arrogant leaders

('mani sharpe',) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:00:00 -0000

The relationship between EU leaders and the cameras is often an unstable one. It is a way of gaining huge popularity. But it can also bring out the worst side in the leaders - or, to put it simply, display the arrogance of those in power