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France 2

France2 Envoye Special

Format

Investigative magazine

Length

90–120 min (magazine with multiple segments, 15–30 min each)

Timeslot

Thursday 9:10 PM, primetime

Exposé length

2–4 pages per segment

Editorial tone

Investigative, hard-hitting, accessible. Envoyé spécial is France 2's flagship investigative journalism strand. Exposés, hidden camera, confrontation interviews. Tone is serious but approachable — no ivory-tower journalism. Consumer focus: What affects people directly? Scandals told concretely and comprehensibly. Confrontation with those responsible is expected. Clear utility value for viewers.

What this format covers

  • ●Economic scandals, fraud, consumer deception
  • ●Health scandals: pharmaceuticals, food, environmental toxins
  • ●Political affairs and abuse of power
  • ●Hidden camera exposing abuses in care homes, hospitality, retail
  • ●Real estate fraud, scams, illegal practices
  • ●International investigations: tax evasion, money laundering
  • ●Social abuses with concrete evidence

What this format does NOT want

  • ●Essayistic or auteur-driven documentary films
  • ●Topics without investigative core or exposé potential
  • ●Purely historical or retrospective reportage
  • ●Science formats without scandal or abuse angle
  • ●Cultural or artistic documentaries
  • ●Segments without solid evidence base or sources

Visual expectations

TV magazine aesthetic at high level. Hidden camera (caméra cachée) is a trademark. Confrontation scenes outside corporate headquarters or government offices. Graphic presentation of documents and figures. Fast cuts, clear narrative structure. Voice-over guides the story. Not cinéma-vérité — this is television magazine with pace and urgency.

Expected exposé structure

  1. Titre du reportage (segment title)
  2. Résumé (10-line summary: What is being exposed?)
  3. État de l'enquête (state of investigation: What is proven, what is still missing?)
  4. Sources et témoins (sources and witnesses: Who speaks? Which documents?)
  5. Accès et repérages (access: contacts, shoot permits, undercover research)
  6. Éléments visuels (visual concept: hidden camera, documents, graphics)
  7. Durée estimée et calendrier de tournage (estimated length and shoot schedule)
  8. Équipe (journalist, camera, production company)

Example productions

  • Envoyé spécial: Glyphosate — l'herbicide qui sème le trouble (2019)
  • Envoyé spécial: Deliveroo, Uber — la dictature des algorithmes (2021)
  • Envoyé spécial: EHPAD — les secrets d'un scandale (2022)
  • Envoyé spécial: Arnaque aux cryptomonnaies (2022)
  • Envoyé spécial: Viande — les dessous d'un scandale sanitaire (2020)
  • Complément d'enquête (Schwesterformat, Donnerstag nach Envoyé spécial)
European perspective required

Editorial notes

Envoyé spécial has run since 1990 and is one of France's best-known investigative formats. The magazine broadcasts multiple segments per edition — a single segment runs 15–30 minutes. Pitches must have a clear exposé core. Pure social reportage without investigative angle will be rejected. Élise Lucet was the face of the format until 2023. The commissioning desk works closely with sister format Complément d'enquête. International co-productions are possible if the story has a French dimension. Legal vetting of all segments before broadcast is standard.

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