FR22: Television, Film and Music
TV programmes, films, music genres; opinions and justifications; comparing media; French media
📱 Television, Film and Music
TV programmes, films, music genres; opinions and justifications; comparing media; French media
Key Fact: This topic covers key vocabulary and structures for television, film and music. You need to know the topic vocabulary, be able to use it in all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing), and express opinions with reasons.
📋 Key Vocabulary and Structures
For Television, Film and Music, you must know:
- Topic-specific vocabulary (nouns, verbs, adjectives)
- Key grammar structures for this topic area
- How to express and justify opinions
- How to describe past, present and future related to this topic
- Cultural knowledge about French-speaking countries and communities
❓ Practice Questions
Q1: Write 4 sentences in French about television, film and music.
Q2: Write a paragraph (40-60 words) giving your opinion on television, film and music.
Q3: Translate into French: "I think television, film and music is important because..."
✅ Answers
- Four sentences using topic vocabulary, with correct adjective agreement, articles and verb conjugation. Include at least two different tenses for Higher tier.
- A structured paragraph with: introduction (à mon avis...), opinion with reason (je pense que... parce que...), a different viewpoint (cependant...), and a conclusion (en conclusion...). Use connecting words and varied vocabulary.
- "Je pense que [topic] est important(e) parce que..." — ensure adjective agreement (important vs importante depending on noun gender), correct verb form, and give a specific reason.
🎯 Exam Tips
- Use a range of tenses (present, past, future) to access higher marks
- Include opinions with reasons (je pense que... parce que...)
- Check adjective agreement (gender and number) before finishing
- Use complex structures: negation (ne...pas, ne...jamais), pronouns (le, la, les), conjunctions (cependant, donc, en plus)
- Include cultural references to French-speaking countries
- For writing: plan your response, check verb conjugations, re-read for errors
📝 Exam Technique
French Exam Tips — Television, Film and Music:
1. For Television, Film and Music, use a range of vocabulary and complex grammatical structures to access higher marks
2. Check verb tenses, agreements and word order carefully in your written work
3. In translation tasks, translate meaning rather than word-for-word
4. When writing about Television, Film and Music, include opinions and justifications, not just descriptions
5. For listening and reading, focus on key words and cognates to extract meaning
1. For Television, Film and Music, use a range of vocabulary and complex grammatical structures to access higher marks
2. Check verb tenses, agreements and word order carefully in your written work
3. In translation tasks, translate meaning rather than word-for-word
4. When writing about Television, Film and Music, include opinions and justifications, not just descriptions
5. For listening and reading, focus on key words and cognates to extract meaning
⚠️ Common Errors
Watch Out!
Students often translate English phrases word for word. Wrong: Je suis d'accord avec toi = I am of accord with you (literal but correct) vs wrong: "Je suis accord" (incorrect). Correct: Je suis d'accord avec toi / Je ne suis pas d'accord.
✍️ Model Answer
Full-Mark Response
Writing task: Write about tv programmes, films, music genres; opinions and justifications; comparing media; french media.
A grade 9 answer will: use at least three tenses accurately; include complex structures (subordinate clauses, pronouns, negation); show precise grammar (agreement, conjugation, spelling); express and justify opinions; include cultural knowledge; use a wide range of vocabulary; be well-organised with connecting words (cependant, en revanche, de plus, en conclusion).
Mark scheme: Content (relevance and detail) + Quality of language (accuracy and range) = total marks
📊 AO Deep Dive
Assessment Objective Focus: Television, Film and Music
AO1 — Knowledge: Show understanding of Television, Film and Music by demonstrating accurate vocabulary and grammatical structures in the target language.
AO2 — Application: Apply your knowledge of Television, Film and Music to understand and produce language in listening, reading, speaking and writing contexts.
AO3 — Analysis & Evaluation: Analyse and evaluate linguistic features related to Television, Film and Music, demonstrating critical awareness of meaning, context and cultural references.
📝 Exam Questions by Topic
🎬 Video Resources
Notes Détaillées
La Télévision et les Médias Français
TV and media vocabulary: la télévision / la télé (television), une chaîne (a channel), une série (a series), un documentaire (a documentary), les informations / le journal (the news), un animateur/une animatrice (a TV presenter), une publicité / un pub (an advert), regarder la télé (to watch TV), zapper (to channel-hop). French TV has both public channels (France 2, France 3, Arte) and private channels (TF1, M6, Canal+).
Arte (Association Relative à la Télévision Européenne) is a unique Franco-German channel broadcasting cultural programming without adverts. It exemplifies the European vision of public broadcasting. Le CSA (Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel, now l'Arcom) regulates French broadcasting, ensuring quotas — 40% of music on radio must be in French, and TV channels must broadcast at least 40% French-origin content. These quotas francophones protect French culture.
Discuss viewing habits: Je regarde surtout des séries sur Netflix, mais ma grand-mère regarde le journal télévisé sur France 2 (I mostly watch series on Netflix, but my grandmother watches the TV news on France 2). Use the imperfect for past habits: Quand j'étais petit, je regardais des dessins animés le mercredi après-midi.
Exemple
En France, les chaînes publiques comme Arte diffusent des programmes culturels sans publicité. La loi impose des quotas: 40% de musique francophone sur les radios. — In France, public channels like Arte broadcast cultural programmes without adverts. The law imposes quotas: 40% francophone music on radio stations.
Le Cinéma et la Musique Francophones
French cinema is world-renowned. Le Festival de Cannes awards the Palme d'Or annually — recent winners include Anatomie d'une chute (2023). France produces around 300 films per year, making it Europe's most prolific film industry. Le CNC provides government funding through a tax on cinema tickets and TV subscriptions, ensuring films aren't purely profit-driven.
Francophone music spans many genres. La chanson française includes legends like Édith Piaf (« Non, je ne regrette rien »), Jacques Brel (Belgian), Georges Brassens, and contemporary stars like Indila, Louane, and Aya Nakamura. Le rap français is the dominant genre among young people — France is the world's second-largest hip-hop market after the US. Artists like Orelsan, Nekfeu, and Aya Nakamura dominate streaming charts.
In Sénégal, le mbalax (created by Youssou N'Dour) blends traditional Wolof rhythms with modern pop. In Québec, les Cowboys Fringants and Arcade Fire are internationally known. In Belgium, Stromae revolutionised French-language electronic pop with albums like Racine Carrée.
Exemple
Le rap français est le genre le plus populaire chez les jeunes. Aya Nakamura, d'origine malienne, est l'artiste francophone la plus écoutée au monde. Stromae, belge, est aussi un phénomène. — French rap is the most popular genre among young people. Aya Nakamura, of Malian origin, is the most listened-to francophone artist in the world. Stromae, Belgian, is also a phenomenon.
L'Impact des Médias et le Streaming
Streaming has transformed French media consumption. Netflix, Amazon Prime, et Disney+ compete with French platform Salto (launched 2020, though it closed in 2023). French law requires streaming platforms to invest 25% of their French revenue in French and European content — a world-first regulation. This ensures that global platforms contribute to French cultural production.
Young French people increasingly watch content on les plateformes de streaming and YouTube rather than traditional TV. French YouTubers like Cyprien (comedy), Norman fait des vidéos (humour), and EnjoyPhoenix (lifestyle) have millions of subscribers. Le CSA/Arcom has extended regulation to include online platforms.
Express opinions about media: À mon avis, le streaming a changé nos habitudes — on regarde ce qu'on veut, quand on veut. Cependant, c'est dommage que les jeunes regardent moins de programmes français. Discuss the impact: Les réseaux sociaux et les influenceurs remplacent la télé traditionnelle pour beaucoup de jeunes.
Exemple
Le streaming a transformé la façon dont on regarde la télé. La loi française oblige Netflix à investir 25% de ses revenus français dans le contenu européen. C'est unique au monde! — Streaming has transformed the way we watch TV. French law requires Netflix to invest 25% of its French revenue in European content. It's unique in the world!
Vocabulaire Clé
| Français | English | Exemple |
|---|---|---|
| la télé / la télévision | TV / television | Je regarde la télé le soir — I watch TV in the evening |
| une chaîne | a channel | Ma chaîne préférée est Arte — My favourite channel is Arte |
| le journal télévisé (le JT) | TV news | Le JT est à 20 heures — The TV news is at 8pm |
| la Palme d'Or | Palme d'Or (Cannes) | Ce film a reçu la Palme d'Or — This film received the Palme d'Or |
| le rap français | French rap | Le rap français est très populaire — French rap is very popular |
| le mbalax | mbalax (Senegalese music) | Le mbalax est la musique de Youssou N'Dour — Mbalax is Youssou N'Dour's music |
| les quotas francophones | francophone quotas | Les quotas protègent la culture française — Quotas protect French culture |
| une plateforme de streaming | a streaming platform | Netflix est une plateforme de streaming — Netflix is a streaming platform |
| un documentaire | a documentary | J'aime les documentaires sur Arte — I like documentaries on Arte |
| zapper | to channel-hop | Je zappe pendant les publicités — I channel-hop during adverts |
| le CNC | National Cinema Centre | Le CNC finance le cinéma français — The CNC funds French cinema |
| Arte | Arte (Franco-German TV channel) | Arte diffuse des programmes culturels — Arte broadcasts cultural programmes |
Questions Supplémentaires
Q4: Qu'est-ce que vous regardez à la télé ou en streaming? Décrivez vos goûts. (What do you watch on TV or streaming? Describe your tastes.)
Q5: Pourquoi le gouvernement français protège-t-il la culture audiovisuelle? (Why does the French government protect audiovisual culture?)
Réponses Supplémentaires
- Je regarde surtout des séries sur Netflix, comme « Lupin » qui est une série française très populaire. Je regarde aussi des documentaires sur Arte parce qu'ils sont intéressants et sans publicité. Je n'aime pas le journal télévisé — je préfère lire les informations sur mon téléphone. En musique, j'écoute du rap français — j'adore Orelsan et Nekfeu. Leurs paroles sont poétiques et parlent des problèmes de société. — I mostly watch series on Netflix, like « Lupin » which is a very popular French series. I also watch documentaries on Arte because they are interesting and ad-free. I don't like the TV news — I prefer to read the news on my phone. For music, I listen to French rap — I love Orelsan and Nekfeu. Their lyrics are poetic and talk about social problems.
- Le gouvernement français protège la culture audiovisuelle parce que sans protection, les productions américaines domineraient le marché. Les quotas exigent 40% de musique francophone sur les radios et 40% de contenu français sur les chaînes de télé. Le CNC finance le cinéma avec une taxe sur les billets et les abonnements télé. Récemment, la loi oblige les plateformes de streaming comme Netflix à investir 25% de leurs revenus français dans le contenu européen. C'est l'exception culturelle — la culture française ne doit pas être traitée comme un simple produit commercial. — The French government protects audiovisual culture because without protection, American productions would dominate the market. Quotas require 40% francophone music on radio stations and 40% French content on TV channels. The CNC funds cinema with a tax on tickets and TV subscriptions. Recently, the law requires streaming platforms like Netflix to invest 25% of their French revenue in European content. It's the cultural exception — French culture must not be treated as a simple commercial product.
Ready to ace your GCSE French exams?
Get the best revision books and guides to boost your grades.