The motto for France 24, President Chirac’s riposte to the American-British domination of world television news, was to be: “Everything you are not supposed to know.” It now has been replaced with “Beyond the News”, but the message remains the same.

France’s 24-hour service, which starts broadcasting on December 6, will offer an alternative to a global news narrative that, in French eyes, is largely shaped by America’s CNN and BBC World.

To reach the maximum audience in a field that was joined last week by al-Jazeera English, France has put aside its linguistic qualms. The “French Eye on World News”, as it calls itself, will broadcast via satellite and the internet in English as well as French and, soon, Arabic.

At France 24’s headquarters at Issy on the southern outskirts of Paris, test bulletins are being presented by British and French journalists in an unfinished newsroom. Mark Owen, 43, a senior presenter who has joined from ITV, is enthusiastic about attracting a world audience with a wider angle.

“The BBC and CNN are fine. But having been through the English system, I think we tend to look inwards rather than outwards,” he said. “We’re always looking for angles. That means we gear things more towards the home audience.”

France 24’s difference from the “unified Anglo-Saxon” view of the world means that it will focus on what it calls “diversity”, covering events in places such as former French West Africa that are usually off the Anglo-American radar. France will be reported like any other country, but there will be an emphasis on its art de vivre.

Mr Owen is adamant that France 24 is not a state mouthpiece. “There will be no decrees from on high. We will do stories on merit, regardless of who doesn’t like it.” The multinational staff of 170 journalists have signed a charter guaranteeing their independence.

The matter is sensitive because the network was born of Mr Chirac’s frustration in the run-up to the 2003 Iraq war, when, in his view, the world was being misled by the Anglo-American broadcasters. His “CNN à la française” was put together as a commercial venture between TF1, the biggest independent network, and France Televisions, the state broadcaster.

Financed by an 80million euro (£54million) annual subsidy, the project has drawn fire as a duplication of existing media, but its executives insist it fills a vacuum because France has no world TV news network.

Jean-Yves Bonsergent, the chief operating officer, said there would now be three TV news powers: “There are the Anglo-Saxons on one side, al-Jazeera on the other and France will be a third voice.”

He added that France 24 would be as free of government interference as the BBC.

News and views around the clock, around the globe

France 24 Starts December 6; 170 journalists. Broadcasts in French, English and Arabic

CNN Founded 1980, 4,000 staff. English, Spanish, Turkish and German; 35 per cent of European market

BBC World Founded 1991, 250 correspondents. English, with Arabic in 2007; 24 per cent of European market

EuroNews Consortium of 19 national broadcasters. Founded 1993; 250 staff. Broadcasts in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Russian; 30 per cent of European market.

Russia Today TV Founded 2005; 150 staff. Controlled by government and banks. English, with Arabic soon.

DW-World (Deutsche Welle) Founded 1992. Government controlled; 1,500 staff. German and 30 languages

Al-Jazeera English Founded November; 300 journalists. Broadcasts in English.

How to watch France 24 On the internet at france24.com and is expected to be carried on Sky. It will also be available on these satellites: Hotbird 7A (11240.00 MHz), Astra 1KR (11538 MHz), Eurobird (12560.02 MHz)

Audience figures from European Media and Marketing Survey/CNN Research/le Monde

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