Christine Ockrent has quit as the head of France 24 the government funded news channel broadcast in French, English and Arabic, amid accusations of espionage, harassment and incompetence.

The network – intended to take in the BBC, CNN and al-Jazeera has struggled to make an impact and will losw about €7 million this year. Ockrent, one of Frances best known and respected broadcasters said: “I was passionate about the challenge but today I feel suffering such as I have never experienced. I have decided to put an end to this intolerable situation.”

The problem has been ‘the war’ between Ockrent and Alain de Pouzilhac, chairman of the Exterior Audiovisual Authority of France (AEF), which controls France 24 and Radio France International, the French international radio station.

Their spat includes claim and counter claim over industrial espionage aimed at undermining each other’s position.

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