by Amy Mek, RAIR Foundation:
The escalating fines and sanctions against conservative-leaning channels like CNews and C8 in France highlight the issue of free speech curtailment, with government-tied regulators like Arcom accused of stifling dissent and punishing any opinions against the left’s narrative.
In a troubling development for freedom of speech in France, CNews, a prominent news conservative-leaning channel owned by billionaire Vincent Bolloré, has been sanctioned again by Arcom, the independent public authority established by the French government to regulate media. The channel was fined €80,000 (about $87,000) for failing to meet its obligations during broadcasts. This latest round of penalties follows a December 2023 show during which guests stated that “immigration kills” without any immediate reaction from the host or other guests.
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Due to the so-called “gravity” of the alleged offenses, Arcom imposed two fines, one of €60,000 and another of €20,000. According to the media regulator, the comments made during the December broadcast on “La Matinale Week-End” and a subsequent segment on the National Rally were highly problematic. Arcom argued that such statements could portray immigrants as inherently dangerous, inciting “hatred and discrimination based on race, nationality, or ethnic origin.”
The regulator’s report stated, “The use by two guests of the phrase ‘immigration kills’ is likely to represent people of immigrant origin, as a whole, as a deadly risk factor. Such stigmatization reduces immigrants to the rank of dangerous people, which is likely to incite hatred towards them and encourage discriminatory behavior.”
This perspective, however, overlooks the context in which such statements are made. In Western countries, including France, there has been a significant increase in crime rates associated with certain immigrant groups, particularly from Islamic countries. Numerous reports and statistics indicate a correlation between immigration and rising crime rates. For example, France is a country where more than 70% of prison inmates are Muslim. According to reports, the crime rate among the Muslim population is high.
As Gatestone reports, “More than 120 knife attacks take place in France every day and can happen anytime, anywhere. Most of these attacks are committed by Muslim men who then tell the police that they did it because they hate infidels and hate France. Only the knife attacks that result in death appear in the newspapers; the others are passed over in silence. In the main French cities, muggings and beatings have become commonplace. There are also more than two hundred rapes every day in France, most perpetrated by Muslim men who entered France illegally. Only 7% of illegal immigrants ordered to leave France are ever actually deported.” Critics argue that discussing these facts should not be grounds for censorship or punitive measures.
CNews also faced scrutiny for a segment on the program “Punchline Été,” which addressed climate change. During this segment, a speaker disputed the human impact on global warming, calling it “a lie, a scam,” without any rebuttal from the host or other guests. Arcom found this lack of counterargument problematic, as it allowed a controversial and scientifically unfounded view to be presented unchallenged, resulting in an additional €20,000 fine.
These sanctions come just months after CNews was fined €50,000 in May for comments made by journalist Geoffroy Lejeune, who linked anti-Semitism and prison overcrowding to “Arab-Muslim immigration.”
The repeated fines underscore the precarious situation for CNews, which has faced regular criticism from Arcom. The channel’s broadcasting license, along with those of 14 other channels on French digital television (TNT), is up for renewal in 2025. Arcom’s scrutiny will culminate in a crucial hearing for CNews on July 15, part of a series of hearings for multiple channels and media outlets that began on July 8.
Despite the mounting pressure and fines, CNews has made significant strides in viewership, even surpassing its main competitor, BFMTV, as the leading continuous news channel in terms of market share in May and June. However, this success is overshadowed by the ongoing controversies and regulatory challenges.
C8, another channel owned by Bolloré’s Canal+ group, has also faced substantial fines totaling over €7.5 million in recent years, mainly due to the actions of its host, Cyril Hanouna. Known for his provocative and unfiltered style, Hanouna has frequently been targeted by leftist regulatory bodies. Notable incidents include a 2017 prank call where he posed as a gay man, resulting in a €3 million fine for promoting “harmful stereotypes. Additionally, Hanouna had a heated 2019 exchange where he “insulted” French MP Louis Boyard, leading to additional penalties.
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