It’s never been easier for TF1 and LCI viewers to ask our news teams questions from their sofas thanks to new technology from VoxM, a start-up backed by the TF1 group’s Innovation Unit and news department. During its time in the TF1 MediaLab accelerator in 2021, VoxM developed a solution that makes it easier for viewers to engage with programmes through voice, video or text. The collaboration has proved a great success: VoxM’s solution is now up and running on the Group’s three most popular news broadcasts. The evening and lunchtime news bulletins on TF1 now have regular interactive slots (“Le 20H vous répond” and “Le 13H à vos côtés”), and LCI has the “LCI vous répond” wraparound. These new formats provide viewers with explainers around news stories, and practical tips on issues like the cost of living and wellbeing.

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Viewers can simply scan an on-screen QR code to shoot a video in selfie mode, record a voice message or just write a question – and the VoxM solution then sends it to the news desk almost in real time. The platform enables our news team to collect and use these inputs in double-quick time, thanks to semantic analysis technology that sorts and ranks them by topic.

This Q&A slot, powered by VoxM technology, runs every night in the 8pm news bulletin, with journalist Garance Pardigon answering three questions on everyday practical issues. This ground-breaking concept – built on a commitment to bringing the news closer to the people – has quickly proved very popular with viewers, so much so that it has been rolled out to the TF1 lunchtime news (“le 13h à vos côtés”) and the LCI breakfast show (“Jade vous répond”).

The TF1 group is the first to enable viewers to have their questions answered live on air in a TV news bulletin. Another example of how our innovation policy and start-up ecosystem are giving us access to cutting-edge technologies so we can keep offering our viewers new experiences.