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France’s broadcast regulator has refused to renew a licence for free-to-air entertainment channel C8, owned by conservative media mogul Vincent Bolloré, Financial Times reported. The channel had earlier attracted € 7.6 million in fines for breaching broadcasting standards, for reasons including promoting conspiracy theories and fake news, as well as for not respecting pluralism.
Bolloré’s media outlets tend to be rightwing. CNews, for example, is often referred to as France’s Fox News.
French regulator Arcom declined to comment on the reasons for its C8 decision.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen criticised the regulator’’s move in a social media post. “For those in power, a diversity of opinions is unacceptable. So bit by bit they will sideline all TV channels and radio that do not convey the same messages as public broadcasters.”
France24 had earlier detailed that when conservative leader Eric Ciotti plotted his alliance with Marine Le Pen, the head of Les Républicains consulted none of his senior party colleagues. Instead, the morning after President Emmanuel Macron called a snap election on June 9, Ciotti paid a visit to Bolloré. The purpose of the visit, as pointed out by French daily Le Monde, was to “orchestrate Ciotti’s rallying behind the National Rally (RN)” – and to prepare for the backlash it was certain to provoke.
Free-to-air channels account for 90 percent of France’s television viewership, according to Arcom.
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