French Superior Audiovisual Council notice concerning the communication of the results of the second round of the regional and cantonal elections of March 21 and 28, 2004
Under the provisions of article L. 52-2 of the French Electoral Code:"In the case of general elections, no election results, whether partial or definitive, may be communicated to the public by the press or by any means of audiovisual communication, in mainland France, before the shutdown of the last polling station in mainland France. The same applies in overseas France before the shutdown of the last polling station in each of the departments concerned.
On March 21, 2004, the day of the first round of voting in the regional and cantonal elections, some services announced the first national estimates of the election results before 8pm.
Consequently, for the second round of voting on Sunday March 28, 2004, the French Superior Audiovisual Council is asking all radio and television services to comply strictly with article L 52-2 of the Electoral Code.
So that everyone can see that the law is being properly enforced, it demands that all TV channels permanently display the hour, minute and second on screen by 7:55 p.m. at the latest.
This notice will be published in the Official Journal of the French Republic.