Arcom has issued a formal notice to Radio France for underrepresenting the National Rally during the day on France Inter and France Info.

Arcom has issued a formal notice to Radio France for failing to comply with the rules of political pluralism on its airwaves. France Inter et France InfoThe decision concerns the allocation of speaking time granted to political figures between the January 1st and March 31st, 2026According to the regulatory authority, the representatives of National Gathering They were insufficiently represented in daytime programming, while a significant portion of their contributions were scheduled for nighttime. This formal notice concerns Radio France's compliance with its obligations regarding the pluralistic expression of different schools of thought and opinion.

National Rally speeches mostly broadcast at night

Arcom criticizes Radio France for having concentrated a very significant portion of the National Rally's airtime into nighttime slots. France InterNear 60% The speaking time allotted to representatives of the National Rally was broadcast between midnight and 5:59 a.m.. Sure France Infothis proportion exceeds 70%For the regulator, this distribution does not allow the party to be considered to benefit from fair exposure, even if its speaking time formally exists in the overall records.

A presence deemed too weak between 6 a.m. and midnight

The problem raised by Arcom is not solely about the total amount of speaking time. It also concerns broadcast times. Between 6 a.m. and 23:59 p.m.That is to say, in the daytime programs, the representatives of the National Rally represented approximately 9% of all political interventions on France Inter et 9,5% on France InfoArcom believes that these levels are insufficient in light of the party's representativeness in national political life.

The regulator penalizes an imbalance in exposure

For Arcom, broadcasting the bulk of a political party's speeches at night does not respect the requirements of pluralism. The regulator points out that broadcast times must be taken into account when assessing speaking time. A political speech broadcast during a time of very low audience does not have the same impact as one broadcast during the day, on more prominent programs. The decision therefore highlights an imbalance: the National Rally does appear in Radio France's ratings, but too often at times with limited visibility.

France Inter and France Info directly targeted

The formal notice concerns two branches of the public group: France Inter et France InfoArcom believes that these two radio stations did not sufficiently uphold the principle of political pluralism in the first quarter of 2026. Radio France is now formally required to comply with its obligations going forward. A formal notice is not a financial penalty, but it constitutes an official warning. In the event of a further breach, the regulator may initiate more serious proceedings.

Alerts already sent to Radio France

Arcom indicates that it had already brought this issue to Radio France's attention. The regulator had notably noted in 2025 a significant proportion of airtime devoted to the National Rally broadcast at night on France Info. A further observation was then made regarding France Info and France Inter for the fourth quarter of 2025. Radio France had already been urged to better apply the principle of political pluralism. The decision of June 10, 2026, therefore marks a further step.

A strengthened requirement for public service

Arcom emphasizes the unique role of public service broadcasting. Radio France, as the national broadcasting company, must adhere to the principles of pluralism, with a particular emphasis on exemplary conduct and impartiality. The regulator believes that public broadcasters must ensure balanced representation of the main political viewpoints, not only in terms of airtime but also at times that effectively reach listeners.

A sensitive decision in the media debate

The issue of pluralism in audiovisual media remains under close scrutiny. The case of Radio France demonstrates that Arcom's work goes beyond simply calculating overall airtime. The regulator also examines the quality of exposure for political figures, their broadcast times, and the actual conditions of their airtime. In this particular case, the criticism is that the National Rally had insufficient daytime airtime on France Inter and France Info, while a significant portion of its broadcast time was relegated to nighttime hours.