France

[FR] Recommendation on the Handling of International Conflicts

IRIS 2005-2:1/23

Amélie Blocman

Légipresse

In the light of the numerous international conflicts that television channels and radio stations cover every day, the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (regulatory authority - CSA) adopted on 7 December 2004 a recommendation addressing the repercussions certain international trouble spots could have in France, and calling for particular vigilance in the exercise of editorial responsibility. In doing so, the CSA, as guarantor of the impartiality of information, recalled the need to check the accuracy of the information broadcast or, in the event of uncertainty, to present the information in the conditional tense and quote the source and the date. In the event of inaccurate information being broadcast, all the television and radio services concerned must broadcast a correction as soon as possible and under comparable conditions of exposure. The broadcasting of archive mention during broadcasting. The CSA is also the guarantor of protection of young people and respect for human dignity by virtue of Articles 1 and 15 of the Act of 30 September 1986, and it has invited the channels to ensure that distressing documents are not used indiscriminately and must always be accompanied by a prior warning to the public before they are shown. Similarly, they may not broadcast documents contrary to the stipulations of the Geneva Convention on prisoners of war. In respect of the preservation of public order, radio stations and television channels are also required to deal in an appropriately evenhanded, rigorous way with international conflicts likely to fuel tension and antagonism within the population or to result in attitudes of rejection or xenophobia to the disadvantage of certain communities or countries. The CSA concludes by stating that this vigilance must be applied to all broadcasts of news connected with international conflicts, and more particularly discussion or phone-in programmes where guests and viewers or listeners have access to the air waves.