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Presidential election 2022: how Arcom is strengthening campaign accessibility
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On Wednesday March 2, the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication, Arcom, laid down the rules for the production, programming and diffusion of programs for the 2022 presidential election campaign.
The French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication (Arcom), the successor to the French Superior Audiovisual Council (French Superior Audiovisual Council), guarantees freedom of audiovisual communication and the fair representation of all political currents in the audiovisual media.
At the same time, Arcom promotes inclusion and the active participation of all citizens in the democratic process. To this end, channels make their programs accessible, particularly to people with hearing or visual impairments.
In the case of programmes devoted to election news and shown at peak times, the main national channels must provide access (by subtitling or sign language) for deaf or hard-of-hearing people. Other television service editors are required to promote access, by subtitling or sign language, for the deaf or hard-of-hearing to the main programs devoted to electoral news at peak times, and in particular to make accessible the broadcasting of debates organized between candidates.
Production, programming and diffusion conditions for campaign clips
Arcom defines, by decision of its college, the rules concerning the conditions for filming and editing campaign clips, and sets the maximum duration for recording clips and editing sequences. Browse the Arcom decision on the conditions for production, programming and diffusion of campaign broadcasts for the election of the President of the Republic for the first and second rounds of voting. This decision was reviewed and approved by the Commission nationale de contrôle de la campagne électorale en vue de l'élection présidentielle, on February 10, 2022, and by the Conseil Constitutionnel, on February 24, 2022.
Format
Campaign clips are of two types:
- small-format programs, lasting 1 minute 30 seconds for the first round of voting and 2 minutes for the second round;
- large-format programs, lasting 3 minutes 30 seconds for the first round of voting and 5 minutes for the second round.
Production
France Télévisions is responsible for the production of election campaign broadcasts and for coordinating all production-related operations. France Télévisions provides each candidate with identical production means.
Running order and dates
The running order of clips is determined by drawing lots. Arcom will draw lots at its headquarters, in the presence of the candidates' representatives, to determine the dates and running order of the election campaign broadcasts, no later than Saturday March 19, 2022 for the first round of voting and Saturday April 16, 2022 in the event of a second round.
Election campaign clips must be inserted into program schedules at significant listen times.
Arcom strengthens campaign ccessibility scheme
With regard to the accessibility of election campaign clips for the deaf or hard of hearing, blind or visually impaired, Arcom's decision strengthens the scheme put in place during previous official campaigns.
- Subtitling of campaign clips is compulsory.
- The clips will be translated into French sign language by screen overlay.
- The clips will be accessible to blind or partially-sighted people through anaudiodescription process.
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The rights of disabled people
Arcom ensures that TV channels make their programs accessible to people with hearing or visual impairments.
We also carry out awareness raising and incentive initiatives concerning the integration and training of people with disabilities in the audiovisual media, the development of accessibility quality and the qualitative improvement of on-air representation of disability and people with disabilities.
On the same subject
Audiovisual and disability: Arcom's action since 2005
11 February 2022
Since 2005, the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication, Arcom, has been raising awareness among publishers about program accessibility for people with disabilities.
Publication of airtime and speaking time records
21 February 2022
In the run-up to the 2022 presidential election, Arcom regularly publishes tables showing the airtime and speaking time allocated to candidates by TV channels and radio stations.