Recommendation no. 2014-3 of November 26, 2014 from the French Superior Audiovisual Council to radio and television services in view of the elections for departmental councillors on March 22 and 29, 2015.
The French Superior Audiovisual Council,
Having regard to the Electoral Code ;
Having regard to Act no. 86-1067 of September 30, 1986, as amended, on freedom of communication;
Having regard to Act n° 2013-403 of May 17, 2013 relating to the election of departmental councillors, municipal councillors and community councillors, and modifying the electoral calendar;
Having regard to deliberation no. 2011-1 of January 4, 2011 relating to the principle of political plurality in radio and television services during election periods;
After deliberation,
Adopts the following notice:
On January 4, 2011, the French Superior Audiovisual Council adopted a resolution applicable to radio and television services during election periods. The present notice supplements this deliberation for the departmental council elections to be held on March 22 and 29, 2015.
It applies to all radio and television services, whatever their broadcasting method by any electronic communication process, from February 9, 2015 until the day on which the election is held.
It does not apply to services which, exclusively accessible via online public communication, are dedicated to the electoral propaganda of lists of candidates or the political parties and groupings which support them.
1. Treatment of election-related news
When dealing with cantons, radio and television services ensure, in accordance with article L.191 of the electoral code, that candidate pairs, personalities or the political parties and groupings that support them benefit from equitable presentation and access to the airwaves.
2. Recording of interventions
1° Editors record the speaking times of pairs of candidates, political parties and groupings and their supporters in newspapers, news bulletins, news magazines, special broadcasts and other programs.
2° The times recorded are cumulative from Monday February 9 to Friday March 20, 2015 inclusive, then from Monday March 23 to Friday March 27, 2015 inclusive.
3. Transmission and publication of intervention reports
1° Each week, the following publishers electronically transmit to the French Superior Audiovisual Council a breakdown of the speaking times of pairs of candidates, political parties and groupings and their supporters as recorded in their programs:
- TF1 ;
- France 2 ;
- France 3 for its national and regional programs;
- France 4 ;
- France 5 ;
- France Ô ;
- overseas France1ère (radio and television);
- Canal+ for its free-to-air programs;
- M6 ;
- BFM TV ;
- I>Télé ;
- LCI ;
- D8 ;
- RMC Découverte ;
- Radio France (France Inter, France Info, France Culture, France Musique, France Bleu) ;
- RTL ;
- Europe 1 ;
- RMC ;
- BFM Business ;
- Radio Classique ;
- Sud Radio ;
- Local terrestrial broadcasting services.
2° For each period mentioned below, the transmission of speaking times takes place on the following dates:
| PERIOD | PERIOD RECORDED | TRANSMISSION DATES |
| 1st round of voting | February 9 to 20 | February 21st |
| February 9 to February 27 | February 28th | |
| February 9 to March 6 | March 7th | |
| February 9 to March 13 | March 14th | |
| February 9 to March 20 | March 21st | |
| 2nd round of voting | March 23 to 27 | March 28 |
3° For compliance with I-1 (1°) of Article 2 of Deliberation No. 2011-1 of January 4, 2011 on the principle of political plurality in radio and television services during election periods, the national statements transmitted by service editors are posted on the French Superior Audiovisual Council website.
4. Obligations concerning other publishers
Other publishers are required to provide the French Superior Audiovisual Council, at its request, with all information relating to the interventions of candidate pairs, political parties and groupings and their supporters.
5. Retention and transmission of other information
Publishers shall keep audio and video recordings of programmes shown during the period covered by the present notice, and shall provide them to the French Superior Audiovisual Council on demand.
This notice will be published in the Official Journal of the French Republic.
Paris, November 26, 2014.
For the French Superior Audiovisual Council
The Chairman,
O. Schrameck