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French CNews fined for broadcasting unchallenged climate scepticism

CNews, a prominent French news channel, has been fined by the Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (Arcom) for broadcasting climate scepticism without counter-argument. It's the first time Arcom has issued a financial sanction for environmental misinformation, highlighting a significant moment in regulating media coverage on climate issues.
Owned by billionaire Vincent Bolloré, CNews is France's second most-watched news network, known for its conservative editorial stance since its 2017 relaunch. Often compared to Fox News in the United States, CNews has faced repeated warnings from French regulators for failing to follow rigorous news reporting standards.
The current controversy stems from an episode of 'Punchline Eté' aired on 8 August 2023. During the show, economist Philippe Herlin dismissed the concept of anthropogenic global warming as a "scam" and "totalitarianism." His statements were left unchallenged by both the hosts and other guests, prompting QuotaClimat, an association advocating for better climate media coverage, to file a complaint with Arcom. Arcom's investigation concluded that CNews had failed to provide a balanced presentation of the controversial issue, violating its obligation to ensure an honest portrayal of differing viewpoints. As a result, the channel was fined €20,000.
QuotaClimat praised the decision which comes amid growing concerns about unchecked climate scepticism in French media. A few weeks ago, Arcom issued a warning to Sud Radio for similar issues during an interview with physicist François Gervais, who downplayed the dangers of climate change. Arcom criticized Sud Radio for failing to provide a balanced perspective and warned of potential financial penalties if such disinformation continued.
Let's keep these media accountable! Check out the work of QuotaClimat and see how you can contribute to their mission 👇


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  • Matin Ahrimankosh

    30 w

    Media has a huge responsibility in shaping public opinion. Great to see QuotaClimat's efforts making a difference.

    2
    • Jane Wangui

      30 w

      @matin_ahrimankosh I agree. That's why the media personnel should be well trained and vigilant in their line of work.

      1
    • We Don't Have Time

      30 w

      Dear Sarah Chabane Your climate love has received over 50 agrees! We have reached out to Quotaclimat by email and requested a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! To reach more people and increase the chance of a response, click the Share button above to share the review on your social accounts. For every new member that joins We Don't Have Time from your network, we will plant a tree and attribute it to you! /Matin, We Don't Have Time

      1
      • Tabitha Kimani

        30 w

        The sanction is in order. We demand accountability.

        3
        • walter lungayi

          30 w

          Media should embrace accountability and balanced reporting on critical environmental issues. This decision reinforces the need for factual, evidence-based discourse on climate change.

          2
          • dickson mutai

            30 w

            Great thanks to QuotaClimat's advocacy

            4
            • Gorffly mokua

              30 w

              This marks a significant step towards ensuring accurate media coverage on climate issues. Well done!

              2

              Watch all the Davos Hub content!

              Re-watch all our COP29 broadcasts

              We need to stop methane and #BuyMoreTime