Behind the Scenes of the Press and Media
As part of the 36th edition of the Press and Media Week in Schools, and at the initiative of Ms. Rebuffet and Ms. Clément, the students from the French section at Blue Pool Road (4ème, 2nde, 1ère, terminale) and those from the international section (Years 8 and 13) had the opportunity to meet, listen to, and question Anne-Claire Poignard, an investigative journalist at France Télévisions and presenter of the Télématin news bulletin.
Fascinating anecdotes
Around 150 students greatly appreciated the journalist's kindness and availability, as well as the many fascinating anecdotes about her profession. The middle and high school students were able to closely discover what a press card is and even read the teleprompter script from Anne-Sophie Lapix's 8 p.m. news broadcast.
Anne-Claire Poignard also shared details about her daily life, such as "always having a suitcase ready under her desk to leave at any moment for a report," her memorable encounter with a 99-year-old veteran during the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, and her report from Bamako (Mali), which was broadcast in five episodes on France 2.
Anne-Claire and her team were able to follow, during a mission, French surgeons who operate on young people born with a cleft lip, a malformation considered a curse in some places to the extent that some are rejected.
Curiosity and passion
Everyone was captivated by her professionalism, but above all by the passion and enthusiasm she managed to convey, while realistically and lucidly explaining the challenges of her job, such as waking up at 2 a.m. to head to the set of Télématin or managing emotions while following volunteer firefighters during difficult interventions.
Anne-Claire Poignard also answered the students' questions about the different pathways and essential qualities required to become a journalist, as well as those needed for the technical roles within a reporting team — on set, in the control room, and in the field, including camera operators, editors, and more.
The journalist also gave them a glimpse into a day in the life of the editorial team in Paris, leading up to the broadcast of the news bulletin, as well as the realities of working in the field for a television crew. Silas and Amos, two students in their final year, even took on the roles of news presenter and cameraman live, connecting directly with the studio in Paris.
A meeting that was unanimously described by the students as “one we won’t forget anytime soon” as they parted ways with Anne-Claire Poignard — an encounter that most certainly sparked some career aspirations among the high schoolers.
