French TV channel C8 receives record fine for silencing guest over stakeholder criticism

“You realize you’re within the Bolloré group right here. What the fuck are you doing right here?”

That’s how French TV host Cyril Hanouna abruptly interrupted his visitor, the MP Louis Boyard, again in November 2022.

Seconds earlier, the left-wing lawmaker had talked about "Cameroon’s deforestation", which in line with him was the making of businessman Vincent Bolloré by a palm tree exploitation firm he partly owns.

Bolloré, the chairman and CEO of the funding group Bolloré, additionally occurs to be a stakeholder of the TV channel C8, on which the discuss present was being broadcast stay.

Following his first interruption, the host continued to chop off his visitor and referred to as him all types of names together with "fool", "idiot" and "piece of shit".

THOMAS SAMSON/AFP
French MP Louis Boyard gave a press convention following the heated television second. Paris, November 2022THOMAS SAMSON/AFP

Hanouna angrily reminded the MP that earlier than turning to politics, he was a journalist on the present:

“You didn’t thoughts accepting the cash while you have been right here. We don’t even know what you might be referring to. Me, I don’t chew the hand that feeds me, and you shouldn't chew the hand that fed you.”

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The French broadcasting regulator simply printed its conclusions on the heated scene, which state that the visitor was saved from criticizing one of many stakeholders of the corporate. In doing so, the present didn't assure freedom of data.

On high of the formal warning to not enable such a conduct to occur once more, the TV channel was fined a report €3.5 million.

Reacting to this information, French Tradition Minister Rima Abdul-Malak mentioned it was not the primary time a channel partly owned by Vincent Bolloré needed to be warned by the broadcasting regulator. Abdul-Malak hinted that their broadcasting license may very well be revoked sooner or later if these channels saved on infringing freedom of press legal guidelines.

Abdul-Malak additionally expressed issues over the tone struck by the remainder of the media retailers partly owned by Bolloré.

Over the previous decade, the French businessman - who as of January 2023 has internet value is estimated at approx. €9.4 billion - has purchased a number of media retailers in radio, TV and print. Many have accused him of utilizing his wealth to purchase means to convey his conservative and even far-right views.

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