France

[FR] Canal + Receives First Official Notice for Les Guignols de l'Info

IRIS 2005-6:1/27

Amélie Blocman

Légipresse

On 10 May, the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (audiovisual regulatory authority -CSA) sent official notice to the channel Canal + after it had broadcast a sequence referring to the election of the new Pope, Benedict XVI, on 20 April in its humoristic, satirical programme Les Guignols de l'Info, referring to the new Pope's childhood in Germany and his enrolment in the Hitler youth movement. In the disputed sequence, which began with a banner on the screen bearing the words "Adolf II", the puppet representing the new Pope blessed the faithful "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Third Reich".

In response to the complaints the CSA received from French bishops and private individuals, it insisted on reminding the channel that, firstly, it was required under Article 10 of its Convention, to ensure respect in its broadcasts for the various political, cultural and religious sensitivities of the public and to refrain from encouraging discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion or nationality. Secondly, under Article 11 of its Convention, the channel undertook to respect personal rights concerning privacy, image, honour and reputation as recognised by both legislation and case law. The CSA felt that assimilating Pope Benedict XVI to a supporter of the Nazi regime infringed his image, his honour and his reputation. The CSA also considered that the company had not respected the various religious sensitivities of its public and had encouraged discrimination on the basis of religion and nationality, and for these reasons it ordered the channel to comply with Articles 10 and 11 of its Convention.

This is the first time the channel has received formal notice concerning the daily Les Guignols de l'Info programme.