Notice of May 14, 2001 on reality TV programs

The production and diffusion, for the first time in France, of a program consisting in recording 24 hours a day the life, behavior and relationships of a group of isolated people for several weeks in a row has led the French Superior Audiovisual Council, in application of the fifth paragraph of article 1 of the amended law of September 30, 1986, to issue a notice to publishers and distributors of audiovisual communication services.

Whatever the purpose of these programs, and despite the consent expressed by their participants, it is imperative, with regard to respect for human dignity, that these participants have times and places where they are not subject to public observation. The Council therefore demands that these programs include daily respite periods of significant and reasonable duration, without any audio or visual recording or diffusion. Participants must be clearly informed of this. For safety reasons, however, production managers may wish to monitor the lives of participants on an ongoing basis.