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The End of an Era? C8, NRJ 12, and the Battle over French Television

The French television landscape is undergoing a significant shift as two channels, C8 and NRJ 12, face imminent closure. Friday, February 28th marks the deadline for their broadcasting licenses, and without renewal, their signals will cease transmitting. This decision, known since July 2024, has been met with fierce resistance, particularly from C8, the channel owned by Vincent Bolloré and home to the controversial yet highly popular talk show host, Cyril Hanouna.

The broadcast regulator, Arcom, justified its decision with concrete reasons. The French Conseil d’Etat, after considering appeals, upheld Arcom’s decision on Wednesday, February 19th. Yet, despite these legal confirmations, C8 and its parent company waged an aggressive campaign to reverse the outcome, continuing up to the very last hours.

The core of C8’s counter-offensive, spearheaded by its on-air personalities, wasn’t centered on the potential job losses impacting dozens of employees facing a social plan. Instead, the argument pivoted to the defense of fundamental freedoms, specifically, freedom of expression. This narrative was amplified across Bolloré’s media empire, including CNews, Europe 1, and Le Journal du Dimanche, transforming the situation into a political crusade replete with insinuations and unsubstantiated claims.

A central accusation leveled against Arcom was that the decision to pull C8’s license was politically motivated, a deliberate attempt to silence dissenting voices. According to this line of argument, a clandestine agreement existed between Alexis Kohler, the Secretary-General of the Élysée Palace, and Roch-Olivier Maistre, the former head of Arcom, leading to C8’s downfall.

This narrative resonated with some elements on the right. Figures like Laurent Wauquiez, president of the Right Republican group in the National Assembly, questioned Arcom’s legitimacy as an independent authority, despite the fact that it is headed by a senior civil servant. Even Rachida Dati, the Minister of Culture, while affirming the adherence to proper procedures, expressed regret that viewers would be "unjustly deprived of a media outlet" as widely watched as C8.

While the controversy surrounding C8 remains relatively contained, its implications warrant serious consideration. The most obvious reason is Cyril Hanouna himself. Hanouna, a controversial but undeniably popular figure, has built his brand on provocation and his show "Touche pas à mon poste!" has managed to attract an average of 2 million viewers each evening. The potential loss of this prominent voice, regardless of its contentious nature, raises valid questions about the diversity of opinions in the media.

Beyond individual personalities, the C8 saga reflects a broader ideological battle. It is part of an offensive waged by a segment of the right wing. Emboldened by political victories, they seek to challenge established rules and institutions under the guise of defending freedom of speech. They see restrictions as impeding the expression of their ideas.

Mathieu Bock-Côté, a Canadian essayist and CNews commentator, reinforced this perspective in an interview with L’Opinion. He decried what he described as C8’s "censorship," portraying Arcom as a "caricature of administrative neutrality serving to rationalize a posteriori an ideological aversion."

However, critics argue that these accusations are unfounded and misleading. They emphasize the importance of returning to the core facts of the case. They point out that C8 was not targeted by a political conspiracy. The channel’s license revocation stemmed from its deliberate violations of the terms and conditions governing its temporary access to public broadcasting frequencies. The repeated transgressions of its host, including homophobic jokes, instances of forced kissing, insults, promotion of misinformation, and the propagation of conspiracy theories, led to C8 being sanctioned 35 times since its inception. This constant stream of violations made it impossible for Arcom to ignore the problem any longer. C8’s apparent indifference to these penalties indicates that the channel prioritized ratings and revenue over compliance with regulations.

Therefore, according to this view, C8 is reaping the consequences of its own choices. It knowingly allowed Cyril Hanouna’s excesses to continue, knowing that these excesses drove viewership. As for Hanouna himself, his recent announcement that he will be joining the M6 group in September, hosting a daily show on W9, another channel on the TNT network, effectively deflates his claims of being silenced and persecuted.

The situation offers several lessons. First, it demonstrates the importance of accountability in broadcasting. Licenses to use public resources should not be taken for granted. Secondly, it underscores the need to distinguish between legitimate freedom of expression and the abuse of that freedom. Incitement to hatred, the spread of misinformation, and the violation of ethical standards cannot be excused under the banner of free speech. Finally, the C8 affair serves as a reminder of the politicization of the media landscape and the need for vigilance in ensuring that regulatory bodies remain independent and impartial.

The imminent closure of C8 and NRJ 12 marks a turning point for French television. While the immediate impact will be the loss of two channels, the long-term consequences could be far-reaching, shaping the future of media regulation, freedom of expression, and the role of television in French society.