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Obligations of the audiovisual media services published by the TV division of the NextRadioTV group - Annual Report 2020
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This report covers the broadcast and production obligations for the year 2020 of television services edited directly or indirectly by NextRadioTV.
Summary
The year 2020 was marked by the health crisis linked to the coronavirus and its restrictive measures. The effects included a drop in the share of advertising space on RMC Découverte, RMC Story and BFM, and in the supply of sports broadcasts on RMC Story. Against this backdrop, the publisher's editorial strategy has had to adapt, resulting in developments in annual programming. This is the case, for example, with the drop in the volume of audiovisual drama serie, in favor of documentary diffusion on RMC Story, or the virtual disappearance of a cinema supply on the same channel.
While many of the services' obligations and commitments have been respected, some of the commitments relating to the format of the RMC Découverte and RMC Story channels have not been sufficiently respected.
In this area, RMC Découverte has complied with its obligations to broadcast creative documentaries of original EOF in the first half of the evening, to broadcast programs for the first time on free-to-air terrestrial TV channels, and to offer a variety of subjects in its documentary programming.
In particular, RMC Story has met its obligations to broadcast cultural programs, magazines and documentaries, to show society and cultural news magazines at prime time, and to broadcast programs for the first time on free-to-air terrestrial television channels, diffusion of programs in the first half of the evening presented by people representing the diversity of French society, diffusion of news programmes giving a significant place to international current affairs, promotion of associations working for social cohesion and diversity, diffusion of campaigns of general interest and programming of a "day of diversity".
In 2020, documentaries accounted for 47.6% of RMC Découverte's total broadcasting time.
As for RMC Story, for the two films shown in 2020 (leftover from previously acquired broadcast rights), the channel failed to meet its quotas for the broadcast of European cinematographic works over the entire broadcast period (50% instead of 60%) and during prime time (0% instead of 60%), as well as its prime-time quota for EOF cinematographic works (0% instead of 40%), and has failed to meet its commitment regarding cinematographic works from Asia, Latin America and Africa.
In addition, RMC Story devoted 22.5% of its total diffusion time to audiovisual drama works, against the 25% required annually, falling below this threshold for the first time since the channel's launch.
The supply of handisport and women's competitions was also insufficient, accounting for 13.5% of sports broadcasts, whereas the publisher should have devoted 20% of this genre to such competitions.
It should be stressed that the Authority has taken into account the consequences of the health crisis on the holding of numerous sports competitions in 2020 and on the smooth running of filming. Consequently, the aforementioned breaches by RMC Story were only the subject of a reminder letter, sent to the publisher on April 11, 2022.
However, Arcom warned the publisher against any repeat offence of partial compliance with its obligation to show at least two magazines or documentaries every month in the first half of the evening, dealing with economic, social and cultural issues linked to the diversity of French society and promoting integration.
Furthermore, in terms of plurality, the Autorité noted imbalances in speaking time on the group's channels, and sent its remarks to the service editor concerned.
It also sent a letter to BFM TV's provider of radio, warning it of a renewed breach of the obligation to rigorously present and process news (following the broadcast of an erroneous infographic in the " Week-end direct " program) . At the same time, it served formal notice on the television service RMC Story and the radio service RMC, following the making of questionable comments in the "Les Grandes Gueules" program, without sufficient contradiction having been provided.
Lastly, with regard to support for creation, RMC Découverte and RMC Story met their obligations, with the exception, for the first year, ofRMC Découverte's obligation to contribute to the independent production of heritage works, following the reclassification by Arcom of programs declared by the publisher. Taking into account the context of the health crisis, the Authority has sent a letter to the publisher asking it to ensure compliance with its obligations in this area in the future.
Obligations of the audiovisual media services published by the TV division of the NextRadioTV group - Annual Report 2020
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