Richard at EU Referendum and Douglas at LotFIP seem puzzled.

Richard:

In stark contrast to the BBC, French television has for days been giving favourable coverage to the US Military response to the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. This is all the more surprising as the French media is extraordinarily biased and generally gives the US short-shrift, especially over Iraq.

Douglas:

You think Chirac was watching this at home? Was he in the next room with the sound on, pouring himself a drink? Did he throw a Baccarat crystal glass at the TV?

No, Doug, I don't think he did. Here's why.

Consider: French TV is able to completely censor or ignore many things the US does which make France look bad. One-sided stories are presented without end. Then we get into a situation where the US military can be used for humanitarian purposes and suddently -- positive coverage. What a strange anomaly! How to explain the sudden shift?

Co-incidentally, France and the EU, at that exact same time, seem to be wanting a military build-up. There have been calls to drop sanctions against the Chinese in order to enter into military agreements. There is a "civilian" satellite system (Gallileo) being put into place which has definite military applications.

Given this background, I don't think this is much of a puzzle at all. Work it backwards. Pretend there are massive financial and organizational links among Frech media, defense contractors, and goverment:

Aerospatiale Matra is merging with Germany´s Daimler Aerospace to form Eiropean Aeronautic, Defense and Space (EADS) - one of the world´s largest aerospace companies. For now, Aerospatiale Matra is the world´s 1st maker of helicopters and the 2nd maker of missile systems (behind Raytheron). The largest portion of sales (34%) come from commercial aircraft. Aerospatiale Matra, which owns 38% of airliner consortium Airbus Industry and 46% of Dassault Aviation (military and executive jets), was formed from the combination of state-owned Aerospatiale and media giant Lagerdère Matra defense unit. The French government owns 48% stake, Lagardère owns 33%. EADS will be 40% publicly owned.

Lagardère is a huge media company which owns a lot of defense holdings, and whose ownership of such is shared with the French government. The same is true of French aviation giant Dassault.

Last month, the European Commission allowed the industrial conglomerate of Marcel Dassault (GIMD) to buy up to 82% of shares in Socpresse, a publisher of 70 French newspapers, including Le Figaro and L’Express. GIMD is primarily a weapon and aeronautic manufactory. Dassault’s family is close to the French ruling coalition. His son is a member of Parliament. France’s other leading media company is Lagardère-Hachette, which is part of the Lagardère conglomerate, another major weapon manufacturer. Socpresse and Lagardère together own over 70% of the French press.

Might that possibly provide a motive for coverage which emphasizes the need for more French military equipment?

On screen, we then see a French doctor say... "As soon as our supplies gets here. No problem." Then we are treated to the image of the French begging for assistance from an Indonesian colonel! "We're expecting helicopters tomorrow," he says, asking for two trucks so they can move supplies. The colonel laughs and claps him on the shoulder. Then the French meet with some Americans. "It's been tough for us," says a French firefighter. "The Americans prove goodnatured toward the 'Frenchies,'" says the narrator. "But not much else." Then a big, impressive American Chinook helicopter arrives, empty, to pick up American journalists. French men looking dejected....

Pujadas then turns to conduct a live interview with Defense minister Michèle Alliot-Marie, who is clearly being hauled onto the carpet. Pujadas does not begin by asking, Why have you humiliated us? Instead, he asks, "Does France still have the means to realize its ambitions, which are humanitarian in this case?"

Yes, of course. France's ambitions. Which are humanitarian in this case.

Isn't it obvious? The French government and aerospace, which has financial ties 70% of the French media (or more), desire a massive military build-up. Since WWII, the European public has been conditioned to reject militarism. How better to sway their support than to use the suffering poor in Asia, and the counterexample of the American military helping save lives, as an argument for the great and good public need for a massive French/European force?