France

[FR] TF1 Fined for Failing to Keep to Standards Laid Down for Sponsoring

IRIS 1995-3:1/20

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European Audiovisual Observatory

On 13 January 1995, TF1 was fined FRF 4,980,000 by the Conseil d'Etat for not keeping to standards laid down for television sponsoring. The channel was accused of failing to include in the credit titles the name of the programme's sponsor, Tiercé Magazine : likewise, as the magazine was quoted by name during the main part of the programme, this in turn means the offence comes under Article 7 of the decree of 26 January 1987, which bans press advertising messages. Moreover, with regard to the sponsorship, TF1 was also accused of having quoted the name of the magazine too often during the programme, without keeping to the requirements governing sponsorships and the number of times the sponsor's name can be shown on the screen.

This requirement limiting the number of mentions of the sponsors comes from a circular issued by the Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) on 23 July 1990 and which set out conditions for programme sponsorship. The circular went on to say that the mention of the sponsor's name should not last for more than six seconds in the credit titles and five seconds during the programme and at intervals of at least ten minutes. After TF1 appealed, the Conseil d'Etat decided that the circular was simply clarifying Article 11 of the aforementioned decree of 1987 and that no appeal could be made against the CSA for acting in excess of its authority.