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Media Landscape - France

INTRODUCTION

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France is a highly developed and technologically advanced country, with a population of 60.8 million (2006), including some non-French speaking, particularly arab-speaking people living mostly in urban areas((Due to ancient colonization, there is, in France, a large Muslim population (e.g., there is, in France, an original “French Council for Muslim religion affairs”), and that explains a high audience of satellite diffused arab-speaking TVs. French colonial past is a major contributing factor in the presence of a multicultural population, which accounts for satellite Arab-speaking channels.)). The country’s area is 547,030 sq km (210,026 square miles) with a density of 114.2 persons per sq km. Number of elderly people is increasing, even though the birth rate (11.99 for 1,000 population), is one of the highest in Western Europe.

On January 1st, 2006, 25.1 per cent is in the age group from 0 to 20 years, and 20.7 per cent are over 60 years old. Life expectancy is 75.2 years for men and 82.1 for women. The natural life balance of the population was 270,000 in 2005, and the migratory balance was 98,000 in 2005. France has a high unemployment rate and a weak economic growth. The retirement age is one of the lowest in Europe (about 58), and the 35 hour working week gives people plenty of leisure time. 96% of French households possess a television set. All these facts shape the configuration of the contemporary media system in France.


1. WRITTEN PRESS

Regarding national newspapers, there are 10 daily papers, 26 weekly papers, 22 monthly papers and 17 quarterly papers (75 in total) published in France. Their yearly circulation of daily papers is 611 million copies with a circulation of 449 million (70.13%), 898 million Euros, 409 million of which are advertisement receipts. Regarding magazines; 111 millions copies and a circulation of 89 millions, turnover: 280 millions euros, 113 of which are advertisement receipts.

The ten daily national papers are all owned by different press or communication groups, except for L’Humanité and Libération, which belong to financial groups non specialized in communication. The other titles are far more concentrated in great press groups.

National daily newspapers circulation is 1.18 million copies and daily newspaper readership is 8.25 million, which means a low number of buyers (140 per thousand). A regular diminution of daily national papers can be observed. Popular national press has collapsed during the last 35 years. “France-Soir”, for instance, which regularly sold over 1 million copies in 1961, is now running into severe financial problem (circulation is about 50,000 a day in 2005).

A regular decline of daily regional newspapers can also be observed, although they are still in good health and their circulation is on the increase. Magazines reading increased until 2002 (1200 per thousand people), but has been decreasing since then. The professional and technical press is still strong.

As in other countries, the number of freesheets is increasing strongly in France. Their general circulation is 291 million copies, with a turnover of 55.7 million Euros. There are, in France, three freesheets networks. First one, “Métro”, belongs to the Swedish Metro press group and one of the main shareholders is TF1 French television company. The second one, “20 minutes”, is owned, among other ones, by the Norvegian press group Shibsted and by the French regional press group, “Ouest France”. Third, there is a number of freesheets edited mostly in towns, which belong to a set of press groups: Socpresse (Hersant group), Hachette group, and “Sud-Ouest” group. This third network includes “France Cinq”, which is a public educational national TV channel, and Arte, a joint Franco-German cultural channel.

The number of papers have strongly increased (+ 217 new titles (+ 5 %) in 2004), but that has little impact upon general turnover. Since 1990 up to 2005, general circulation has been declining 15 %, receipts 14 %, and turnover 30 %.


2. AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA

Radio

In the field of radio, the end of the State monopoly, on July 29th, 1982, the number of radio stations has increased, resulting in a more pluralistic and decentralized broadcasting system. Besides public radio stations (Radio France and the France Bleu network of local stations), there are great generalist national private stations and a number of thematic stations, mostly musical.

There are today about 1,200 radio stations in France, including more than 600 associative radio stations. 81% of French people aged more than 15 listen to the radio, for about 3 hours a day (60 % at home, 20 % in car, and 18 % at work).

Television

French TV field has considerably increased over the last years, particularly owing to the end of State monopoly in broadcasting channels (related laws are: “Loi Fillioux” of 29 July 1982 on the independence of the communication media, law of 30 September 1986 about the freedom of communication and “Loi Tasca” of 1989 on the development of public television stations) and to the multiplication of thematic or local channels in cable or satellite networks. So, beside the seven terrestrial channels (including the two public sector channels, France 2 and France 3), there are, today, more than 200 thematic channels (when there were only three TV channels in 1980).

Despite this strong trend towards greater offer for TV programs, audience shares are still concentrated by hertzian channels (89 % of audience), including 42.3 % for public channels (France 2 : 20.9 %, France 3 : 16.6 %, “third network”((“Third network” includes “France Cinq”, which is a public educational national TV channel, and Arte, a joint Franco-German cultural channel.)) : 4.8 %) and 46.8 % for private channels (TF 1: 32.3 %, M 6: 11.5 % and Canal Plus pay TV: 3.1).

In such a situation, the State policy to allow public channels to offer a large choice of programs and services for as large audience as possible, and to be regarded as a reference point in information, audiovisual creation and cultural diversity.

The public sector TV group France Télévisions was set up by a law of August 1st, 2000. This holding company, which includes the three national public TV program companies (France 2, France 3, La Cinquième), defines these channels’ strategy, coordinates their program policies, and leads their development strategies. The law also defines the public missions of public channels. France Télévisions must sign a contract (aims and means) every three or five years.

Public TV is mainly financed by audiovisual license fee, paid by families and by companies. It is 116 euros for a TV in metropolitan French. More than 76 % of public audiovisual sector is financed by State including the license fee. It is also financed by advertisement. In order France 2 and France 3’s programs to be more independent, a law of August 1st, 2000 has reduced advertisement time and the receipts diminution has been entirely compensated by budget of State.

Owing to the new ways of receiving radio and TV (satellite, cable, the Internet, digital TV service); new programs have appeared, particularly in local television, and new services, particularly interactive ones.


3. NEWS AGENCIES

The Agence France Presse (A.F.P.), a national press agency, is one of the greatest news agencies in the world (with Associated Press and Reuters). It was founded in 1944, but its contemporary status has been fixed by a law of January, 10, 1957, which defines it as an independent world-wide news agency.

Nowadays, the A.F.P. faces increasing needs of modernization and strategy renewal. It is ruled by civil law, but is not a private company, since, although it does not have any shareholders, nor capital, it depends only on its business resources. A.F.P.’s turnover (250 million Euros in 2003) is as follows: State (40 %), press and foreign sales (about 35 %), photo sales (10 %). There are 2,200 full-time employees who work in 165 countries, in 6 languages. There are daily 3 million words, 800 photographs and 50 infographies published. About 2,000 mass media are A.F.P.’s customers.


4. ONLINE MEDIA

Internet penetration is very variable according to social classes: in 2004, 58.2 % of managers used the Internet, instead of (compared to?) 86.3 % among high executive and intellectuals and cultural professions. 85% of home Internet users have broadcast band (usually ADSL).

Almost all French newspapers have on-line editions, which nowadays are to be found on the Internet, but they have a long experience of on-line, because of the Minitel. For instance, some papers have built record services (e.g. SOVT data bank of ”Le Monde” about Soviet Union history). Radios and TV channels are in the same situation, and offer the same services and programs: daily news (usually free), thematic files and records, chats and blogs, and various services depending on the papers.

Over the last two years, OJD has given the number of uses of the mass media Internet sites. Top of the list is Skyrock group, which is well-known for its free blogs. As, for the press, ”Le Monde” is the first one (there are five times more users than for “Le Nouvel Observateur” or ”Libération”).


5. MASS MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS

  • Employees' associations (journalists, producers, editors, etc)\ The most important journalist trade-unions each have their own paper. SNJ (Syndicat National des Journalistes, independant) publishes Le journaliste, the Union syndicale des journalistes (CFDT) publishes Journalistes CFDT, the Syndicat général des journalistes (independent) publishes La Morasse, and the Syndicat national des journalistes (which belongs to CGT, the other important trade-unions federation) publishes Témoins. There is, of course, a number of other trade-unions and associations.

  • Employers' associations (publishers, TV owners, etc)\ The most important ones are Fédération Nationale de la Presse Française (FNPF), the association of audiovisual public sector employers, and the national union of press agencies.

  • Advertising associations\ The main one is Information, Presse et Communication, which is an association of people who work in communication and public relations services, the national trade union of press attachés, and the national union of companies papers and journalists. There are national and regional associations for every communication job.


6. MEDIA POLICIES

  • Freedom of expression\ Freedom of expression is protected for every kind of press by an important law of 1881, by a law of 1982 in the audiovisual field, and by a great number of rules in France. A great association, Reporters sans frontières, informs (?) about all the breaches of freedom of expression, in France, and all over the world.

  • Allocation of licenses and frequencies\ The C.S.A. (Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel), which is an important regulation board, created in 1989, delivers the emission authorizations and distributes the hertzian frequencies.

  • License fees for PBS (Public Broadcasting System)\ There is not, in France, any license fee system, but the TV channels and the radios must respect a number of specifications, which are authorized by C.S.A. for a certain period of time. There are regional regulation organisms, called “comités techniques radiophoniques” (C.T.R., technical radio committees).

  • Public research about mass media\ There does not exist any special section of C.N.R.S. devoted to mass media studies, but it should be created within quite a short time, and there are many research centers in universities, particularly in Paris, Bordeaux, Grenoble and Lyon. There are professors and researchers specialized in information and communication science.


7. REGULATORY AUTHORITIES

In 1978, a National Commission for Computing and Freedom, called C.N.I.L., protects personal freedom in data uses. This independent administrative authority has done an important work in controlling personal data files and in laying down regulations covering consumer protection and about health data.((So, a “medical personal file” will be published in 2007, but people will keep control upon access to it by “Carte Vitale” (personal National Health Service card), and only medical people can access data with the person's agreement.)) Police and bank data files are to-day most difficult to rule. It is also in charge of conflicts about personal data.

The so-called Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (C.S.A.), i.e. the Higher Audiovisual Council, independent administrative authority, was established in 1989, and controls audiovisual activities. This authority, in particular, appoints chairmen of public sector TV and radio channels, allocates frequencies and TV and radio franchises, negotiates a contract with the private sector channels and makes sure the rules of the broadcasting field are observed, particularly about the respect of programs obligations, pluralism of opinions, protection of authors’ rights and deontological matters.

As for the Conseil constitutionnel, its members are chosen by the head of State, by the speaker of the Senate and by the speaker of National Assembly. C.S.A. also makes industrial and political concentration to be limited, and looks after freedom in audiovisual matters. In press matters, professional syndicates look after regulation.

Otherwise, press circulation is controlled by O.J.D. (Office de Justification de la Diffusion) and by the Conseil Supérieur des Messageries de Presse. Last, there is a regulatory authority in electronic communications and post office affairs, called Autorité de régulation des communications électroniques et des postes (ARCEP).


8. ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS

Journalists have had to abide by a code of conduct for quite a long time (S.N.J. adopted one in 1918. Since 1990, the chairmen of newspapers and audiovisual companies have prepared and imposed new codes on their journalists, mostly to avoid legal proceedings, and sometimes for ethical considerations. Most remarkable of these have been enacted by regional Western paper, “Ouest-France”, which has inspired many other codes of this kind. Otherwise, a law of 1935 protects the independence of journalists (particularly the so-called “clause de conscience” (“individual conscience clause”), which enables a journalist to leave a newspaper whose owner has changed.

Advertisers are ruled by the Bureau de Vérification de la Publicité (B.V.P.), i.e. Advertisement Control Board, and all TV advertisements are controlled by the Higher Audiovisual Council.


9. MEDIA RESOURCES

Newspapers

Audio/Visual Media

Television

Radio

Media Institutions

Blogs/Civil Media

Excerpt from EUROPEAN MEDIA GOVERNANCE: THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL DIMENSIONS, published by Intellect (http://www.intellectbooks.com).

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