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Meanwhile channel axes rugby coverage in Europe

The campaign for the restoration of the French langauge international television service TV5 - after CNN and MTV, the most viewed TV channel in the world - to NTL's analogue service is continuing. Despite lack of sucess at present, TV5 and its legion of fans are continuing to lobby for inclusion in the package with meetings continuing to be held (the most recent on 12th February) and being well attended.

Meanwhile TV5 Europe will unfortunately not be broadcasting live French Six Nations rugby coverage this year. Sources indicate that this is due to pressure from BSkyB, which holds the UK rights to some of these games. Apart from TV5 Europe and TV5 France-Belguim-Switzerland
(which could not in any case broadcast the games as shareholder France Televisions holds the domestic rights), TV5 will continue to broadcast these games on its international services, which include services for the United States, Africa, Latin America, and the Far East.

Also, at the beginning of the month TV5 unvieled a new on-air identity, including a new look for its news programme "TV5 Le Journal". The new look retains the familar TV5 logo with a more modern style of on air presentation. The blue/white lines have been dropped in favour of live action idents, one of which features a busy city location. Black and white are now the dominent colours in the channels on air identity.

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