CNN Press Release - CNN’s new monthly series i-List takes you to countries that are changing the way we live and look at the world around us.

The i-List will highlight innovation and influence in industry, business, technology, culture and more. It showcases a nation’s people and places – those having an impact inside and outside their borders.

From 8th February, CNN International turns its cameras on France in i-List: France, a special week of prime time programming and reports from the country that will uncover some of the economic, social, cultural and political developments currently shaping France and positioning the nation for the future. Throughout 2010, i-List is set to come from a number of Asian countries.

Mike McCarthy, CNN International’s Vice President of coverage and feature programming commented: “With i-List, we wanted to give our viewers and users insightful and intelligent programming about countries that are changing the way we think and how we live in an Interconnected world.

“It will highlight the inventive people, innovative businesses and inspirational cultural trends in nations that directly impact the way we live and do business in the future.

“We are delighted to launch our showpiece series in France. It’s a country that fascinates and intrigues our audience and we are looking forward to a week of compelling programming”.

CNN will anchor two of its signature European prime time shows from France. Hala Gorani will be in Paris with ‘I-Desk’ and Fionnuala Sweeney in Lyon with ‘World One’. As well there will be a series of specially commissioned reports by correspondents Jim Bittermann and Atika Schubert.

CNN’s Paris-based Senior Correspondent Jim Bittermann – recently awarded the Legion of Honour for his 30 years of distinguished reporting on France – examines how France is leveraging long established ties with China and India through the entrepreneurial spirit of business leaders such as the legendary Pierre Cardin, former French Prime Minister and Senator Pierre Rafferin and inspirational Club Med chairman Henri Giscard d’Estaing.

Atika Shubert begins our week at the Lyon Library which has joined up with Google Books to post 500,000 ancient manuscripts online. French officials fear that the scanning project by Google will put the country's national literary treasures in the control of corporate hands. Lyon's Library Director shows CNN the rare document he believes need to be scanned by Google.
Atika Shubert then travels to Marseilles – the nation’s third largest city, a standard bearer for cultural integration and set to be Europe’s Capital of Culture in 2013. Two Islamic leaders give viewers an insight into the “Muslim Marseilles” in a report that highlights how immigration and integration in the city can set an example, not just for other French cities, but for cities beyond its borders.

The high energy rappers Fonky Family offer an intriguing insight into what the accolade “Capital of Culture” could mean for the future of this historical port city in 2013 and a day spent with the superstars of the Olympic Marseilles explains what makes this Mediterranean city so special for football fans around France.

The special week of coverage will culminate with a 30 minute debate hosted by CNN’s Hala Gorani with a panel of French personalities including Areva CEO Anne Lauvergeon.
Online users will be able to visit the i-List microsite, www.cnn.com/ilist for video packages and more.

Program schedule (subject to change) :

Airtimes: Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore and Taipei (minus 1 hr for Bangkok & Jakarta

Feb 9 – 12 : Fionnuala Sweeney anchors ‘World One’ live at 0430 from Lyon (Feb 9, 10) and Paris (Feb 11, 12)

Feb 9 – 13: Hala Gorani anchors “I-Desk” live at 0200 from Paris
Feb 9 – 12: Reports and live interviews across Europe prime time programming, from 0000 to 0500

[Editor's Note: Click here to view the current promo for the iList French Special.]

CNN Press Release - Last night, Tuesday June 30 Jim Bittermann received the highest decoration in France and was made ‘Chevalier’ of the National Order of the Legion of Honor, in a special ceremony presided over by the Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

Ask CNN Senior European Correspondent Jim Bittermann what he does for a living, and he'll answer “For the past 30 years, I’ve been explaining France and the French to the rest of the world.”

Paris based correspondent, American-Irish, Jim Bittermann covers all French news and events for CNN International. At CNN with its round-the-clock coverage, Bittermann quickly became the face and voice for whatever was happening in France and in the Francophone world and for the past 10 years, he has covered events as diverse as the death of Princess Diana and the last days of Yassir Arafat, the French presidential elections, the EU referendum, the World Cup championship and recently the Air France Tragedy and the last visit of President Obama in France.

Apart from his frequent appearances on CNN and in CNN.com, Bittermann has in recent years also become a familiar personality as lecturer and panel moderator at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and a featured speaker at journalism events such as Global Fusion 2004 in London, the International Diplomacy Institute in Geneva. He has made numerous visits to schools and universities in the United States to explain his work and what life is like in France. He is also co-author of the book Live from the Trenches: the Changing Role of the Television Correspondent which is still read in American journalism schools. In 1999 Bittermann became a professor himself at The American University of Paris and has taught courses in Broadcast News Writing and Production, Politics and Media, and Paris Documentaries.

Jim is one of the few journalists to receive the Honor, and joins a distinguished list of non-French recipients from many walks of life including Dwight D Eisenhower, Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, Rudolf Nureyev, Elie Wiesel, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and General Norman Schwarzkopf.
In the field of American television journalism, he joins Pierre Salinger from ABC, who received his honor in 1978. In this year’s Honor’s list, he is one of only two Americans, and of 13 foreigners, to be so honoured.

Jim Walton’s Note to Staff
July 1, 2009

Last night, CNN’s Jim Bittermann was made a Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest recognition of merit, in a ceremony presided over by the French Foreign Minister at the Foreign Ministry in Paris.

Jim was recognized for his nearly 30 years of reporting from France, as well as for his teaching and volunteer service within the French media industry.

Founded in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte to recognize outstanding accomplishment, the Legion of Honour is awarded annually to 3,500 French men and women and a very few non-nationals—13 this year, only two of them Americans. Jim joins the distinguished company of non-French recipients including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Charles Chaplin, Orson Welles and Norman Schwarzkopf.

We’re all proud of this unique tribute to our colleague.