The formal notice issued to CNews for violating the principle of “pluralism of schools of thought and opinion” marks a new stage in the evolution of French audiovisual regulation. By gradually shifting from monitoring airtime allocations to evaluating the ideas themselves—based on the case law of the Council of State—Arcom is opening a debate that extends far beyond the case of a single news channel. For a long time, audiovisual pluralism was based on relatively objective criteria. The CSA, and later Arcom, tracked politicians’ airtime and verified compliance with the balances established by law, particularly during election periods. At that time, the regulator was not concerned with either the content of the opinions expressed or the arguments put forward. Its role was to ensure that each political party had equitable access to airtime. Shift This approach has gradually evolved. The Council of State’s January 2023 decision led Arcom to examine not only speaking times but also the conditions under which they were broadcast. In February 2024, the Council of State took another step by requiring the regulator to take into account the expression of different schools of thought and opinions by all on-air participants. Just last week, Radio France was served with a formal notice for concentrating…
