Arcom pays tribute to François Léotard, former Minister of Culture and father of the law of September 30, 1986
Arcom President Roch-Olivier Maistre and the members of the College were deeply moved to learn of the death of former Minister of Culture and Communication François Léotard.
A great political figure, passionate about culture and freedom, François Léotard devoted his life to public service. His visionary and determined action at the head of the French Ministry of culture and communication led to considerable progress in the audiovisuel field.
The September 30, 1986 law on freedom of communication, which he was responsible for establishing, confirmed the transition from a state monopoly to an open, modern audiovisual landscape, where public service and private media coexist. In the interests of viewers and the general public, this decisive step forward has fostered program diversity and plurality of thought and opinion on the airwaves.
The "Léotard" law also established a system of regulation to guarantee freedom of communication, under the aegis of the French Superior Audiovisual Council and, since 2022, the Arcom. Almost 35 years later, the fundamentals of this law - freedom and plurality of players and programs - are still the regulator's compass. Since 1986, this founding text has proven its ability to adapt to technological and societal developments in the audiovisuel landscape.
François Léotard has left a lasting imprint on French cultural and audiovisual policy. His humanity, his determination, his ability to unite and his extensive knowledge of the public policies he embodied have left their mark on all those who worked alongside him. Arcom associates itself with the grief of his family, to whom it sends its most sincere condolences.
Press release | Arcom pays tribute to François Léotard, former Minister of Culture and father of the law of September 30, 1986
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