Genie Godula

Genie Godula anchors Paris Direct weekdays from 12-3pm CET. She also co-hosts and produces French Connections with Florence Villeminot. Genie has contributed to France 24’s major breaking news coverage over the years including the Paris terror attacks of 2015, the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, and the recent French and US presidential elections. As host of France 24’s news magazine Inside the Americas, she reported from Brazil, Colombia and across the United States. Genie is originally from Chicago and holds a bachelor's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She started her career at the BBC World Service in London, before moving to Paris where she learned French while working as a singing waitress. Her first big French-language break was as a radio personality for French national station Fun Radio, going on to host a series of programs including Les Filles sur Fun, the first talk show in France to be presented exclusively by women. From there, she moved into television, presenting segments on iconic French show Les Enfants de la Télé, before becoming a correspondent for Exclusif, the French version of Entertainment Tonight (TF1) and co-hosting France’s take on The View (France 3). Genie continues to present film premieres and festivals in France including the American Film Festival in Deauville, Canneseries and the Monte Carlo Television Festival.