Foreword

Created in 1989, the Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel has played a determining role in the construction of the French broadcasting “landscape”; the French broadcasting industry can be characterized as being varied and innovative, in constant expansion and creating jobs, while channels and stations contribute to cultural creation and diversity. The CSA’s role was particularly enhanced in 2008 as the year was rich in far-reaching developments for both the public and the private sectors.

In the past 20 years, the Conseil has become an unquestionable partner in the sector it regulates. This was especially true in 2008 as the reform of the French public broadcasting sector (to which the law of 5 March 2009 will lend new impetus) took place and as economic uncertainties weighed on private channels. Prosperity in the private sector is essential, in terms of job creation, of course, but also by virtue of the priceless cultural and social wealth created. Under-financing is a wide-spread and worrying reality in the French broadcasting sector which we must face as it has an impact on the whole creation and production chain. The Conseil can only welcome the regulatory relaxation introduced in 2008 and the agreements reached by broadcasters and producers. The unique organization of French broadcasting must be safeguarded: frequencies are assigned free of charge as, together with the broadcasters’ economics, they are seen as fostering the creation of cultural wealth for society.

This organization also enables the Conseil to fulfill many social missions. In 2008, the Conseil paid particular attention to making progress towards television being accessible to all. It worked on the accessibility of television to those deaf or hearing impaired through subtitling which will become a widespread reality on the main channels in 2010; work was also done on further developing audio description for blind and visually impaired persons (now provided for under the law of 5 March 2009).

The Conseil also strives to promote a universal television and radio respecting our common values and the most fragile of us, namely, our children. In 2008, the Conseil launched a new awareness campaign about the youth-suitability rating signs and worked with the ministry for families on a campaign dealing with child protection in connection with all screens and media. It also adopted a deliberation of great import stressing that television can not be aimed at children under the age of three. In 2008, the Conseil also strengthened its public health activities.

Finally, the Conseil is committed to developing a kind of television and radio to which each and everyone of us can relate and which reflect society. The findings of the study on the representation of diversity on television commissioned by the Conseil in early 2008 and made public in November 2008, can only lead it to take a firm and proactive role in this respect. Social cohesion is at stake.

Through these various actions, the Conseil has become a true ambassador of the public to the broadcasting media. This privileged relationship is what underpins our demanding stance.

Again, when it works to make technological innovation accessible to all, the Conseil acts as a bridge between the audiences and the professionals of the broadcasting industry. The rate of DTT equipment in France, our fellow citizens’ enthusiasm for the extended number of free channels and audience ratings for the new channels, all show how prominent digital terrestrial television has become in France.

2008 saw further expansion in the coverage of digital terrestrial television and particular attention was paid to those French départements where it was least. The Conseil made preparations for the digital switch-over taking care, again, to avoid any geographical or social digital divide.

2008 was an extremely rich year in terms of the spread of digital broadcasting and related innovations. The Conseil selected new projects for local channels and mobile television and issued a call for tenders for the assignment of the first digital radio frequencies. Finally, since 30 October 2008, viewers with the requisite equipment can watch five channels in high definition (HD), which puts France at the leading edge of the technology worldwide.

2008 was also a year during which the future of digital broadcasting was carefully considered. The many innovations meet the expectations of both the audiences and the operators. It is, therefore, quite natural that they be available in off-air broadcasting mode to the largest numbers, as it is the only mode permitting them to be free of charge and accessible to all. These two requirements were stressed by the French President and the government on the occasion of the introduction in October 2008 of the Digital France 2012 (France numérique 2012) plan. Under the plan, any existing channel wishing to broadcast in HD shall be able to do so thanks to multiplexes covering 95% of the population; a second mobile television multiplex is provided for; special attention is paid to the deployment of digital radio. All conditions, therefore, are met for a new, richer, more diverse and more innovative digital broadcasting landscape to emerge; one matching the audience’s demands while fostering economic growth.

Digital technology opens new horizons and frontiers for broadcasting. For audiences, television is now available anywhere, on any kind of screen, in any kind of broadcasting mode, as a linear or non-linear service.

The Conseil’s remit has developed accordingly: under the law of 5 March 2009, it now extends to on-demand audiovisual media services. The Conseil is now in charge of regulating such services, mainly, namely, catch-up TV and video-on-demand. The law provides for a single legal framework applicable to linear and on-demand services: they have matching obligations while different regulatory levels are detailed.

This is an important first step towards ending an artificial separation between linear and non-linear services. Many of the Conseil’s missions can no longer stop at the Internet’s gate. How could parents understand that what is monitored on television is not monitored for all audiovisual content? How can certain information abuses deriving from the misuse of certain images available on the Internet be combated? These are questions to which the CSA may provide a response thanks to its experience. Not a one size fits all response, to be sure, but an adapted one based on further self-regulation.

The kind of regulation wielded by the Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel is fundamentally modern. It is mindful of the interests of what is a fully-fledged economic sector. It is also at the leading edge of technological innovation, a major point this year with the coming digital switch-over which will affect all French people. It also a kind of regulation that takes heed of the public’s concerns such as diversity.

For 20 years, the CSA has played a role in building tomorrow’s broadcasting, with all of you, professionals, viewers and listeners.

Michel BOYON
Chairman of the CSA