France

[FR] Episode of Les Guignols de l'info on Canal Plus Considered Tortuous

IRIS 1997-5:1/8

Bertrand Delcros

Radio France

The programme Les guignols de l'info is broadcast each day on Canal Plus, and is very popular. The best-known people in France in politics, culture, the economy and sport are represented by puppets. The programme is mainly humorous, often derisive, and sometimes ridicules the characters. How far may ridicule go? Mr Jacques Calvet is chairman of the company PSA which manufactures Citroën cars. He claimed that the products of his trade-mark had been badly treated in these programmes. Contrary to the Court of Appeal in Paris, which held that the content of the programme was purely whimsical, was not inspired by any desire to harm, and could not have thrown discredit on the trade-mark, the Court of Cassation held, in quashing the decision of the Court of Appeal, that the outrageous, provocative and repeated nature of the remarks was tortuous, even if Canal Plus had had no intention of harming the company PSA.