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Seven years ago, the company UGC launched the first annual cinema season ticket. This cost FRF 98.00 (15 euros) a month and gave unlimited access to the 350 cinemas in the company’s network (see IRIS 2000-8: 9). Its competitors (Pathé, Gaumont in conjunction with MK2) were very quick to follow, launching their own unlimited annual season tickets. The scheme immediately caused an outcry on the part of both the independent operators and the beneficiaries, who feared serious distortion in competition and a loss of earnings from the remuneration granted to distributors, producers and authors. The public...

The Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (audiovisual regulatory authority - CSA) was asked this summer for its opinion on the draft regulations drawn up by the company Rugby World Cup Limited (RWC), the organiser of the rugby World Cup, on “the conditions for stadium access for representatives of written and audiovisual information companies during the competition”. Article L. 333-6 of the Sport Code provides the framework for access to sports venues by journalists and television professionals. The first paragraph lays down the principle of free access by all journalists to sports venues “subject...

In a decision delivered on 6 July, the Conseil d’Etat upheld the position adopted by the administrative court of appeal (see IRIS 2005-1: 13) according to which the film “Un long dimanche de fiançailles” could not claim the financial support granted by the Centre national de la cinématographie (National Cinematographic Centre - CNC). Regarding the background to this case, on 23 October 2003, the CNC gave its approval to the company 2003 Productions for the new full-length film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the director of the famous “Amélie Poulain". However, an association and a syndicate of independent...

Last March, the Lagardère group, which has owned the Virgin Megastore shops in France since January 2001, asked the audiovisual regulatory authority ( Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel - CSA) to approve the renaming of its Europe 2 radio station and its TNT channel Europe 2 TV as “Virgin”. The group wanted to use this to rejuvenate and boost its audiences. On 17 July, the CSA gave its approval, but laid down a number of conditions. Firstly, the regulatory authority prohibits any direct or indirect influence on the editorial line adopted by Virgin Radio and Virgin 17 (the channel’s number on the...

Shortly after the Prefect of Corsica, Claude Erignac, was murdered in Ajaccio in February 1998, an issue of the weekly magazine Paris-Match featured an article entitled “ La République assassinée ” (The murdered Republic). The article was illustrated by a photograph of the Prefect’s body lying on the road, facing the camera. The widow and children of Prefect Erignac sought injunctions against several companies, including the publishing company of Paris-Match , Hachette Filipacchi Associés. They contended that publication of the photograph of the bloodied and...