French broadcast regulator makes bold TV licensing decision — but more must be done
On 24 July 2024, French broadcast regulator ARCOM decided to exclude C8, a controversial TV channel owned by the Vivendi media conglomerate, from the list of channels that will receive or renew their broadcast licenses in January 2025. With this decision, ARCOM is curtailing the considerable influence that the Vivendi group — owned by the family of businessman Vincent Bolloré — holds on public debate in France. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) now calls on ARCOM to enforce their standards for reliable, pluralist and independent information on CNews, another Vivendi-owned channel, and the 14 other channels receiving licenses.
"With this decision, ARCOM is handing Bolloré's antennae the consequences of their misconduct. The non-renewal of C8's broadcast license shows that ARCOM is taking its responsibilities seriously at a time when public debate is polarized and honest, independent coverage of the facts has been reduced to a bare minimum. RSF will be particularly attentive to ARCOM's role as content regulator in the CNews licensing agreement. It will be another tug-of-war between ARCOM and Bolloré's media conglomerate, and RSF will be there to defend journalism.
All of the 15 channels selected by ARCOM are now entering the negotiation period for their licensing agreement. RSF — whose advocacy resulted in the French Council of State’s 2024 ruling against ARCOM, and who brought forth specific recommendations for ARCOM to strengthen the accuracy of facts and diversity of opinion broadcast on French TV — will keep monitoring the situation to ensure that ARCOM’s newly reinforced criteria for upholding factual, independent and pluralist information will be imposed on all 15 channels.
ARCOM's decision to oust C8 comes at the end of a series of hearings, conducted between 8 and 17 July, between ARCOM and the various media companies bidding to obtain or renew the 15 digital terrestrial television (DTT) frequencies allocated free of charge by the French government. The hearings showcased an unprecedented quality and diversity in editorial proposals, the timidity of ARCOM’s advisers, and the audacity of the Canal TV channels, which are owned by the Vivendi media group.
RSF’s eight-year battle
Since 2016, RSF has campaigned against the media manipulation of Vincent Bolloré, whose family owns the Vivendi group. His tactics are marked by brutal retaliation, bending the news to suit his economic and ideological interests, and replacing reported journalism with commentary and opinion. ARCOM’s decision not to reallocate a DTT frequency to the C8 channel is a special moment in the history of French television and represents a step forward in audiovisual regulation.
