Posts often mention something we saw on Telematin or some other news or programme on the French language chains and one or two readers have asked how you get them.
If you have Sky there may be some programmes there, but if not then many programmes are available free to air and in HD. If your TV set is relatively new it will have a decoder built in to receive the digital broadcasts (all broadcasts have been digital for the last couple of years or so). If your TV is older you may need to buy a TNT (television numerique terrestrial) decoder, but these can be found for well under 100 euros. Then you will need an aerial as it is exactly the same as UK freeview.
Just plug the TV or decoder into the aerial and hey presto, a choice of about 50 TNT stations can be installed. These include France Televisions (like the BBC), TF1 (like ITV), some news stations and children's programmes. Especially good is Arte, a Franco-German station.
A wider choice of subscription channels, including films and sport (a la Sky) is available via Canal+. This mainly would need a Canal+ decoder, a parabole (dish) and a monthly subscription. Also most telephone operators offer a TV choice with a subscription, but again a dish may be needed as few of us have enough bandwidth to watch via our livebox or whatever.
For local news only France 3 offers daily emissions at noon and 7pm, and local for us is Midi Pyrenees and Tarn; some readers may get other areas.
For learning and improving your French it is very useful indeed, especially if the programmes are subtitled, though there is just as much rubbish as on UK TV!
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PS some of our advertisers are able to help you with installation and set up.
