Decision of April 8, 2026 giving formal notice to the national programming company France Télévisions

The French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication,

Having regard to Act no. 86-1067 of September 30, 1986, as amended, on freedom of communication, and in particular Articles 1, 3-1, 28 and 48-1 thereof;

Having regard to decision no. 2016-522 of July 6, 2016, as amended, granting the national program company France Télévisions a radioelectric resource for the digital terrestrial v01e broadcasting of the all-news channel ;

Having regard to deliberation no. 2018-11 of April 18, 2018 of the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel on the honesty and independence of news and the programs that contribute to it, in particular article 1;

Vu le décret n° 2009-796 du 23 juin 2009 modifié fixant le cahier des charges de la société nationale de programme France Télévisions, notamment son article 35 ;

Vu la décision du 14 mai 2025 portant nomination à la présidence de la société nationale de programme France Télévisions, au regard notamment des évolutions proposées à la faveur d'une organisation plaçant la chaîne franceinfo: au cœur d'une offre d'information fiable, impartiale et exemplaire ;

Having regard to the decision of October 8, 2025 by which the Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique firmly requested the national program company France Télévisions, with regard to its television service "Franceinfo", to ensure compliance with its obligations, in particular those drawn from articles 1 of deliberation n°2018-l 1 and 35 of the company's specifications;

Having regard to the viewing and listening data for the "Questions politiques" programs broadcast on the "Franceinfo" television service and on the "France Inter" radio service on November 9, 2025 and November 16, 2025, of which the College has taken cognizance;

Considering the following:

On the legal framework:

1. Firstly, pursuant to the provisions of article 48-1 of the aforementioned law no. 86-1067 of September 30, 1986, the Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique may give formal notice to the national program company France Télévisions to comply with the obligations imposed on it.

2. Secondly, under the terms of the third paragraph of article 3-1 of the aforementioned Act of September 30, 1986, "the Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique guarantees the honesty, independence and pluralism of information and the programs that contribute to it, subject to article 1 of [this] Act" affirming the principle of freedom of communication to the public by electronic means. On this basis, article 1 of the aforementioned deliberation of April 18, 2018 stipulates that the publisher "must ensure the honesty of the information and the programs that contribute to it / [...] He shall demonstrate rigor in the presentation and processing of information / [...]". Furthermore, article 35 of decree no. 2009-796 of June 23, 2009, setting out the specifications for the national program company France Télévisions, mentioned above, stipulates that "In compliance with the principle of equal treatment and the recommendations of the Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique, France Télévisions ensures the honesty, transparency, independence and pluralism of information, as well as the pluralist expression of currents of thought and opinion. / [...] The company demonstrates rigor in the presentation and processing of information. / [...]".

On the "Questions politiques" programs broadcast on November 9 and 16, 2025:

3. On the "Questions politiques" program broadcast on November 9, 2025, a journalist asked the guest about the election victory of the new mayor of New York, in the following terms: "We hear that you are celebrating [Mr. X.]. He's openly pro-Palestinian, and in his day he took up a slogan, the slogan 'Globalize the Intifada'. To put it plainly, to wage war on the Jews, everywhere in the world, and when asked to condemn October 7, and very often he does, he sidesteps. He repeats that the problem is Israel's occupation. Doesn't that shock you? The guest then declared: "There are three pieces of misinformation in what you've just said. Firstly, that it would mean waging war on Jews everywhere in the world...". The journalist replied: "Well, how do you translate that, 'Globalize the Intifada', I'd like your definition", then the guest retorted: "Wait, wait, wait, I'll correct your three pieces of misinformation before answering your question. [ Secondly, he didn't use that slogan. That's the second piece of counter-information". The journalist replied: "Yes, he did, he used it at his c.... Not recently, I grant you. The guest replied: "No, no, he hasn't used it... [...]" then the journalist reacted: "He took it up again, on his own account, some time ago". The guest continued: "So no, I'm sorry to tell you [...], but I think you're here to inform people, not misinform them, and in this case, with your question, you're misinforming them. [...] ".

4. From the same broadcast, it also appears that the journalist indicated: "So not condemning October 7, in what way? The guest then responded: "He has, he has obviously condemned October 7. Madam, please, frankly, give information that is accurate, because if you don't, then you're really distorting things".

5. Finally, it appears from this broadcast that the journalist added: "So, accurate information. He raises funds for UNRWA, a UN agency accused of collusion with Hamas. Isn't that a problem too?" then the guest replied: "[...] UNRWA you're talking about a UN agency, there's been an investigation into this, into this so-called collusion with Hamas. [...] What were the conclusions of this investigation, Madame? [...] That there was no collusion with Hamas. So please ... And it was an independent, international investigation. But frankly, do you realize what you're asking me? UNRWA is a humanitarian agency that opens schools for Palestinian children, and you're blaming [Mr. X.] for funding UNRWA. [...] But frankly, I think you made a real mistake in your question". The journalists on set did not react to these remarks.

6. During the program broadcast on November 9, 2025, after stating that the new mayor of New York had taken up the slogan "Globalize the Intifada", the journalist maintained this allegation several times, despite the guest's objections. It is clear from the investigation that, while the new mayor of New York refused to condemn the slogan, he did not take it up again and stated that he discouraged its use.

7. The journalist also indicated on the same program that the new mayor of New York had not condemned the attacks of October 7, 2023. However, it is clear from the investigation that he has repeatedly expressed his condemnation of the crimes perpetrated by Hamas in Israel.

8. Finally, the journalist stated that this mayor "raises funds for UNRWA, a UN agency that is accused of collusion with Hamas". However, the independent investigation commissioned by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) did not conclude, in its report submitted in January 2024, that there was widespread collusion between UNRWA services and Hamas. The "Colonna" report, published in April 2024, noted the existence of a "solid framework" for the agency's neutrality, while calling for certain mechanisms to be strengthened. Finally, although an internal UN investigation, the results of which were communicated in August 2024, confirmed the occasional involvement of some UNRWA agents in the October 7 attacks, it did not point to any responsibility on the part of the organization as such.

9. It appears from the "Questions politiques" program broadcast on November 16, 2025 that the program host invited the journalist to comment on the sequence of November 9, 2025: "But before we begin this major interview, let's go back to last Sunday's program. Many listeners wrote to us about a sequence that ran for a few minutes during the hour-long program. It concerned the new mayor of New York, [Mr. X], and his positions on October 7, the intifada and the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees. As early as Tuesday, we made clarifications and corrections, which you can find on our site. Rigorous information is our cardinal value [...] Your trust honors us. It also obliges us. The journalist then declared: "During the interview, there were indeed some imprecise and sometimes inaccurate formulations. If I offended listeners and viewers, I apologize. But there was no partisan intention on my part, no desire to distort the facts on issues that are indeed extremely complex". The presenter then ended this passage relating to the November 9, 2025 broadcast.

10. The publisher, who was in a position to ascertain the validity of the allegations mentioned in points 6 and 7 and the insufficiently precise nature of the allegation mentioned in point 8, did not carry out the due diligence that could have been expected of him or express sufficient oratory precautions. Although the comments were contradicted by the guest during the segment, they were not clarified and corrected by the publisher until November 11, 2025, i.e. two days after the broadcast, in a short message to listeners on the Radio France website, and only on November 16, 2025, in an on-air intervention lasting around one minute, during which no clarification or correction was provided. In view of the seriousness and sensitivity of the subject, the allegations in question should have been immediately supplemented or even corrected by the publisher, and should have been the subject of a more pronounced on-air reaction on his part. Under these conditions, the sequence constitutes a breach of the aforementioned provisions of article 35 of the specifications of the national program company France Télévisions and the aforementioned provisions of article 1 of the deliberation of April 18, 2018, to which it refers, by virtue of which the editor is required to demonstrate honesty and rigor in the presentation and processing of information.

11. It follows from the above, and taking into account the particular requirement of exemplarity associated with national program companies, that the national program company France Télévisions should be given formal notice to comply, in the future, with regard to the "Franceinfo" television service, with the aforementioned provisions of article 35 of decree no. 2009-796 of June 23, 2009 setting out the specifications of the national program company France Télévisions and with the aforementioned provisions of article 1 of deliberation no. 2018-11 of April 18, 2018 of the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel relating to the honesty and independence of information and the programs that contribute to it, to which it refers.

After deliberation,

Decides:

Art. 1. - The national program company France Télévisions is hereby given formal notice to comply, in the future, with regard to the television service "Franceinfo", with the aforementioned provisions of Article 35 of Decree no. 2009-796 of June 23, 2009 setting out the specifications of the national program company France Télévisions and with the aforementioned provisions of Article 1 of Deliberation no. 2018-11 of April 18, 2018 of the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel relating to the honesty and independence of information and the programs that contribute to it, to which it refers.

Art. 2 - The present decision will be notified to the national program company France Télévisions and published in the Journal officiel de la République française.

Paris, April 8, 2026.

For the Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique :

The Chairman M. AJDARI