When the Vichy Government Tried to Launch Television

On October 11, 1941, Lyon became, for a single day, the showcase of emerging French television. In the Radio-Industrie studios relocated to Saint-Clair, the National Broadcasting Service (Radiodiffusion nationale) organized a demonstration for the press and local authorities. Behind the technical event lay a political ambition as well: to show that despite the war and shortages, France was still preparing for the future.

A Showcase of Modernity in Wartime

The atmosphere resembled that of a theatrical premiere. On the ground floor, technicians adjusted cameras and lighting while performers prepared backstage. Upstairs, guests watched images broadcast in 567-line definition at 27 frames per second an impressive achievement for the time.

Alongside Commander Duvivier, Director General of the National Broadcasting Service, were Mr. Braillard, technical director, Georges Villiers, mayor of Lyon, and a large number of journalists who had come to witness the experiment.

Dance, Music, and Boxing in Front of the Cameras

The program was designed to demonstrate all the possibilities of the new medium. It featured dancers from the Lyon Opera, a tenor, duet performers, and even a live boxing match broadcast on screen. The reaction of the small audience was immediate. Many were struck by the sharpness and brightness of the images.

Some already compared the result to a cinema screen. For spectators discovering television for the first time, the effect was remarkable. But the demonstration was not limited to entertainment. After the trials, Duvivier met with journalists at the offices of Lyon National (formerly Lyon-PTT) to present the National Broadcasting Service’s plans.

The Plan for a French Television Network

The objective was to take television out of the laboratory and turn it into a true national network. Three transmitters were intended to form the first backbone of the system. The first already existed in Paris, on the Eiffel Tower. Two others were planned for Lyon, on Fourvière hill, and Marseille, at Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. All were to belong to the State, which intended to retain control over this new technology.

The government also planned to manufacture prototype television receivers for the public. The first sets were expected to cost around twelve thousand francs a considerable sum, but presented as the normal price of an experimental technology. Officials remained optimistic. In their view, most of the project could be completed within two or three years. The main obstacle was not technical but material: the war caused constant shortages of metals and electronic components.

Another Demonstration in 1942

A few months later, on September 25, 1942, Lyon hosted another experimental television session. This time, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Cathala, attended along with André Demaison, Director General of the National Broadcasting Service, and Deputy Perrin. The experiments were presented by engineer Mr. de France and commented on by Mr. de Ligonnes. Among the guests were delegated prefect Dissard, the mayor of Lyon, and the mayor of Caluire, Pleissel.

The format remained largely the same : on the first floor, performers presented songs, dances, and variety acts ; on the second floor, dignitaries watched the show on television screens with perfectly synchronized sound. Once again, visitors were impressed. Cathala congratulated the technicians on the quality of the images, their clarity, brightness, and the precision of the sound. Everyone noted the progress made since the 1941 demonstration. Only one problem remained unresolved : the shortage of materials. The technicians particularly regretted not being able to use larger screens because supplies were insufficient.

Lyon, Laboratory of French Television

These experiments conducted at Saint-Clair occupy a unique place in the history of French media. In the middle of the war, while radio still overwhelmingly dominated information and entertainment, some officials were already imagining a television system capable of transforming the country s cultural and political life. Between 1941 and 1942, Lyon emerged as one of the principal testing grounds for French television. Engineers experimented not only with broadcasting techniques, but also with program formats and a certain vision of the future : that of a modern, spectacular medium closely tied to the State.

In November 1942, the Allies landed in North Africa and the Germans invaded the so-called free zone in southern France. That marked the end of the French State’s television project. The occupying forces took control and would soon launch Fernsehsender Paris / Télévision Paris.