The 7.58-o'clock News?

Nobody would be surprised to find that the French, and other Latins, are less fanatically punctual than, say, the British, Germans or Scandinavians.
Not being too bound to the clock is almost a matter of pride & self-image.
Like not being too bound to rules in general.
"Savoir vivre" if you like.

I have to admit that, personally, I still like the split-second timing I still see on BBC TV, even to the numerical count-down to the start of the news.
And I still find I am irritated by French TV channels' apparently voluntary inability to finish any political discussion program within half an hour of the advertised time, with all the knock-on (or knock-out) consequences for subsequent programmes.

But the detail which irritates, infuriates & bemuses me the most, several times a day, is that they keep starting the news programmes 2 or 3 minutes before the advertised time – yes, early.
Why would anybody want to do that, other than to smack their customers in the face?
It's like running buses or trains earlier than the timetable – customers who follow the rules miss out & legitimately feel cheated.

Parting thot: "Value is created by getting the right information to the right place at the right time." - George Huber