Image
Roland-Garros 2022: Arcom steps up to the plate for sport
Translations are provided as a service to Arcom users and are supplied “as is”, throught the DeepL tool. Consequently, only the text of the original version is authentic.
On the occasion of the Roland-Garros 2022 tournament, we take a look at Arcom's missions and actions to improve the visibility of sporting practices in the audiovisual media.
Organized by the French Tennis Federation, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, the French Open takes place from May 22 to June 5, 2022. From May 16 onwards, 256 athletes competed in qualifying matches to try and be within the scope of the 32 athletes (16 men and 16 women) taking part in the final competition.
In order not to deprive a significant proportion of the public of the opportunity to follow them, several sporting events, defined as "of major importance", must be accessible to all viewers. The French Open men's and women's singles finals are within the scope of these events, which are shown on free-to-air television.
On television, the tournament can be followed on France Télévisions (France 2, France 3, France 4) and on its digital platform France TV Sport. For the second year running, France Télévisions is sharing the match diffusion with Amazon Prime Video.
Arcom for a broad and diversified sports supply on free-to-air channels
Arcom would like to reiterate the importance it attaches to ensuring that the French have access to a wide and diversified sports supply on free-to-air channels. Arcom's contribution to the public consultation launched by the French Ministry of Culture on modernising the list of "events of major importance", reflects the Authority's support for the principle of extending the list to include new competitions in which French sportsmen and women achieve notable performances, and whose broadcasts achieve good audience ratings.
Wheelchair tennis and parasports: Arcom works for greater visibility
Arcom is encouraging the audiovisual media (television and radio stations) throughout mainland and overseas France to include more sports broadcasts, as well as more subjects, programs and interviews devoted to parasport and those involved in the world of disability.
Greater media coverage of parasport, whether at the Paralympic Games or other competitions, would help strengthen the presence of people with disabilities on the airwaves and change the way people view disability, in particular by promoting an inclusive vision of sport, which would be less perceived by the general public as a sphere that excludes people with disabilities.
For the 2022 edition, the Roland-Garros organization is proposing a wheelchair tennis tournament comprising two sets of twelve players, compared with eight in previous editions. Two wheelchair tennis matches are scheduled for the first time on the Philippe-Chatrier court (June 3 and 4).
Below you'll find all the Arcom resources relating to the rights of people with disabilities.
Information and resources
Audiovisual and disability: Arcom's action since 2005
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.
The "Let's play together" operation
Organized by Arcom in partnership with the French Ministry of Sports, the State Secretariat for the Disabled and the French Paralympic and Sports Committee (CPSF), the "Jouons Ensemble" operation mobilizes the audiovisual media to showcase the inspiring careers of parasport athletes and demonstrate that sport is a formidable vector for transformation towards a more inclusive society.
Visibility of parasport in the audiovisual media in 2021
The year 2021was marked by the Tokyo Paralympic Gaming Games, traditionally a good time to showcase parasport. Arcom took stock of this high point in the representation of disability.
Charter on the portrayal of disabled people and disability in the audiovisual media
Arcom en lien avec le secrétariat d'État auprès du Premier ministre chargé des personnes handicapées, ont décidé de travailler de concert pour s'efforcer améliorer la représentation des personnes handicapées et du handicap dans les médias audiovisuels, tant quantitativement que qualitativement et contribuer à faire en sorte que le regard de la société vis -à-vis des personnes handicapées change. This is the purpose of the present charter.
More women's sports on the air
Between 2017 and 2022, the top 20 best ratings for women's competitions includes 14 soccer matches, 3 handball matches and 3 rugby matches, with audiences ranging from 2.2 to 10.7 million viewers.
One of Arcom's missions is to support and anticipate developments in the representation of diversity, women's rights and public health in the audiovisuel landscape. The Authority is committed to promoting women's sport on French national and local airwaves.
The "Sport Féminin Toujours" campaign encourages the audiovisual media to offer more women's sports programs on their airwaves, more sports broadcasts, and also more subjects, programs and interviews devoted to women's sports.
Fight agains sports piracy
Arcom is committed to the fight against sports piracy, and in particular against unlawful live Internet broadcasts of sports competitions. This requires rapid action, since the value of what is shown disappears as soon as the sporting event is over. Arcom's dynamic scheme enables it to act as a relay for court rulings.
A major challenge
It is estimated that an average of 3 million Internet users visit unlawful sports broadcasting sites every month. Unlawful practices that infringe creators' rights result in an estimated loss of revenue of over 1 billion euros for the audiovisual and sports industries, as well as lost tax revenues and the destruction of thousands of jobs.
- 18% of Internet users claim to watch sport "illegally".
- 7% of Internet users pay to access unlawful supplies.
Arcom led a real team effort, involving the judge, rights holders and ISPs. As a result, since January 2022, Arcom has had access disable to some 250 sites (63% of the unlawful sports audience) that were illegally showing matches from soccer's Ligue 1, the African Cup of Nations, the Champions League and rugby's Top 14.
Image
Fight agains doping
Arcom ensures that publishers contribute through their actions to the two major public policy objectives of the fight agains doping and the protection of people practicing physical activities and sports.
Television and radio broadcasters must raise public awareness and, wherever possible, diversify the formats and types of programmes promoting the fight against doping and the protection of people practising physical activity and sport. These programs can be :
- general news or sports programmes ;
- on set or image magazines ;
- documentaries ;
- short programs ;
- television or film drama;
- animation;
- entertainment programs.
Programs relating to the protection of people practicing physical and sports activities must be educational and preventive in nature, addressing the ethical, health, physiological, psychological and social consequences of doping and doping-related behavior. They are based on medical, legal, sociological and technical knowledge.
In February 2022, Arcom published its report on the 33 national channels subject to the law of 2020.
Doping and the protection of participants in physical and sports activities: 2020 report
- 1006.04 KB
- in french
Arcom studies
Sports-related contdnt shown on television - Key figures
This document presents an overview of the supply and consumption of audiovisual sports-related contdnt in France. The key figures on sports-related contdnt on television will be published every two years.
The sports recording sector
Sport occupies a special place in the audiovisual landscape, and Arcom is attentive to its economic and social challenges. Arcom has published a study on sports broadcasting, a highly competitive sector that has undergone major developments in recent years.
Internet sports diffusion: a developing market and uses
Arcom has been working on the development of online sports-related audiovisual content supplies (OTT - over the top), including sports-related contdnt, news programmes, sports-related series and documentaries.