France’s media regulator on Monday ordered CNews, a rolling news channel often compared to Fox News in the United States, to comply with new pluralism rules, bringing the conservative outlet owned by billionaire Vincent Bolloré a final step short of disciplinary action.
The channel’s defenders describe the decision as a dangerous state intrusion into the editorial independence of a private outlet, and accuse their ideological opponents of stifling free speech and threatening press freedom and democracy. Its critics counter that the channel was long overdue for regulation.
The Audiovisual and Digital Communication Regulatory Authority, known as Arcom, adopted the formal notice on June 12 and published it on June 15. It is the first time the regulator has applied its expanded pluralism standard to a broadcaster.CNews vowed to fight the decision. In a statement it emailed to The Epoch Times, the channel said it scrupulously respects its pluralism obligations and accused Arcom of an “excessively restrictive” reading of the editorial freedom that media enjoy in a democracy. The channel said it would appeal to the Council of State, France’s top administrative court, and, if needed, to the relevant European courts.
