Nicolas Beytout 10:57 a.m., March 29, 2022

Less than two weeks before the first round of the presidential election, TV channels and radio stations are doubling their vigilance to respect the speaking time of the candidates.

A strict rule, which applies to candidates but also to their spokespersons.

A real puzzle, deciphered by Nicolas Beytout.

Since Monday morning, radio and television must respect strict equality of speaking time between the 12 candidates.

When we say "strict", it's really strict: on each TV channel, on each radio antenna, each of the 12 candidates must have the same speaking time until the election, to the nearest second.

This speaking time is calculated by time slots (there are 4 per day) so as to prevent a 1 hour broadcast of Emmanuel Macron at 8 p.m. from being offset by 1 hour of Philippe Poutou between 3 and 4 a.m. .

But this rule, already marvelously Soviet at heart, would lack charm if it applied only to the candidates themselves or to their spokespersons.

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No, all those who speak in favor of a candidate are deducted from his airtime.

A vox pop in favor of Marine Le Pen, and presto, you have to find 11 other statements from real people in support of his 11 opponents.

And of course, all this in the same time slot.

I was saying earlier, the Soviet control system;

I even wonder if we are not in the bureaucratic absurdity at the level of North Korea (even if, over there, the airtime of the opposition does not need to be precisely timed).

If it is true that it is very constraining, it is not necessary for the exercise of democracy.

Absolutely not.

These rules were devised when there were only a handful of TV and radio stations, mostly public service.

A debatable democratic ideal

Today, the media offer is wide, varied and diverse.

Each audiovisual medium should be free to defend the editorial line of its choice.

So, of course, that risks leaving the very small candidates in the shadows.

And then, what is the problem?

First, there is a public service, powerful, with good audiences, for which this could be the specifications: it is up to it to ensure equality of speaking time reigns over its antennas (by the way, that would change them a little).

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Then, how is it the pinnacle of democracy to give, between now and the election, half the speaking time to Emmanuel Macron, for example, than to the pair of ideological twins Poutou and Arthaud?

All of this was conceived in a universe that seemed to be unfamiliar with the Internet, social networks, web-radios and web-TVs.

And besides, these media are not subject to speaking time constraints.

They are free to choose who they want to support, independently, and without a timer.

Just like the print media, of course.

It is a huge flaw in this device that, to my knowledge, France is the only country to have imagined and applied.

Of course, an 8 p.m. on a national channel is much more powerful than a profession of faith on web-TV.

But it won't last forever.