It has been suggested that Freedom of information in France be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

In standard conditions, France does not have censorship laws, being a liberal democracy respectful of freedom of press. However, before its repeal under François Mitterrand in the early 1980s, the ORTF used to control the mass media. The CSA has since replaced it, but is only charged of surveillance of the respect of French law in the media, in particular concerning the 1990 Gayssot Act which prohibits racist or/and religious hate speech (under which negationism, in particular but not only Holocaust denial falls under), and time period allocated to each political party during pre-electoral periods. Furthermore, other laws prohibit homophobic hate speech, and a 1970 law prohibits the advocacy of illegal drugs. Censorship is defined as the removal and/or withholding of information from the public by a controlling group or body. ... Liberal democracy is a form of government. ... Freedom of the press (or press freedom) is the guarantee by a government of free public speech often through a state constitution for its citizens, and associations of individuals extended to members of news gathering organizations, and their published reporting. ...   IPA: (October 26, 1916 – January 8, 1996) was President of France from 1981 to 1995, elected as representative of the Socialist Party (PS). ... The Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (ORTF) was the national agency charged, between 1964 and 1974, with providing public radio and television in France. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Conseil supérieur de laudiovisuel (CSA) is a French institution whose role is to regulate the various electronic media in France, such as radio and television, including through eventual censorship. ... In academic terms, French law can be divided into two areas: private law (droit privé) and public law (droit public). Private law includes, in particular, civil law (droit civil) and criminal law (droit pénal). Public law includes, in particular, administrative law (droit administratif) and constitutional law (droit constitutionnel). However... The Gayssot Act (Loi Gayssot), voted for on July 13, 1990, makes it an offense in France to question the existence of the category of crimes against humanity as defined in the London Charter of 1945, on the basis of which Nazi leaders were convicted by the International Military Tribunal... 1. ... Religious is a term with both a technical definition and folk use. ... Hate speech is a controversial term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language ability, moral or political views, socioeconomic class, occupation or appearance... Negationism is the denial of historic crimes. ... Richard Harwoods Did Six Million Really Die? Holocaust denial is the claim that the mainstream historical version of the Holocaust is either highly exaggerated or completely falsified. ... The Politics of France take place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of France is head of state and the Prime Minister of France head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... Homophobia is a term used to describe: A culturally determined phobia manifesting as fear, revulsion, or contempt for homosexuality. ... Retail selling Street selling is the bottom of the chain and can be accomplished through purchasing from prostitutes, through cloaked retail stores or refuse houses for users in the act located in red-light districts which often also deal in paraphernalia, dealers marketing merriment at night clubs and other events...

Each of these laws have been criticized by some groups, either from the left (especially concerning the 1970 law on drugs) or from the far right (in particular concerning the 1990 Gayssot Act or the laws prohibiting homophobic attacks). Others express the need for minorities to be protected from hate speech which may lead, according to them, to heinous acts and hate crimes, while still others claim that one can not tolerate free speech concerning drugs as it is a matter of public health and moral order. However, the 2005 vote of the law on colonialism voted by the UMP conservative parliamentary majority has lifted a debate, especially among historians, concerning the legitimacy and relevancy of such "memory laws." Although a fair amount of historians is opposed to such laws, few advocate their repeal insofar as they estimate that once they have been voted, repealing them would be a greater evil. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into far right. ... Public health is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. ... The February 23, 2005 French law on colonialism was an act passed by the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) conservative majority, which imposed to high-school teachers to teach the positive values of colonialism to their students (article 4). ... The Union for a Popular Movement (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire, UMP), is the main French centre-right political party. ...

Finally, critics, in particular, but not only, from the left-wing, have criticized economic censorship, in particular through concentration of media ownership (Bouygues' influence, for instance, on TF1) , or the fact that Dassault or Lagardère, both military firms, control several newspapers in France, such as Le Figaro (owned by Dassault). Concentration of media ownership (also known as media consolidation) is a commonly used term among media critics, policy makers, and others to characterize ownership structure of mass media industries. ... Bouygues (Euronext: EN) is a French industrial group listed on Euronext Paris. ... TF1 is a private French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. ... Formerly named Societé des Avions Marcel Bloch or MB, the Dassault Aviation is a French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional and business jets. ... Lagardère may refer to: Lagardère Group Jean-Luc Lagardère Arnaud Lagardère Lagardère, a commune of the Gers département, in France This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... Le Figaro (English: ) is one of the leading French morning daily newspapers. ...

Over all, freedom of press is guaranteed by the French Constitution, several effective cases of censorship, against newspapers (Le Canard enchaîné, Charlie Hebdo and Hara-Kiri newspapers, etc.), films, or radio-shows, have been registered in the history of the Fifth Republic, founded in 1958. Most recently, several events ordered by Nicolas Sarkozy, Interior Minister and UMP candidate for the 2007 presidential election, have been criticized as forms of censorship (i.e. the firing of the director of Paris Match — controlled by Hachette Filipacchi Médias, the world's largest magazine publisher, itself owned by Lagardère — because he had published photos of Cécilia Sarkozy with another man in New York). The current Constitution of France was adopted on October 4, 1958, and has been amended 17 times, most recently on March 28, 2003. ... Article of the Canard Enchaîné mocking Nicolas Sarkozy and citing Wikipedia as source. ... Charlie Hebdo is a French satirical political weekly newspaper. ... Seppuku with ritual attire and second. ... The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, which was introduced on October 5, 1958. ... Nicolas Sarkozy (IPA: —  ), (born Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa on 28 January 1955 in Paris, France) is the current President of France and ex officio Co-prince of Andorra. ... The 2007 French presidential election will be the ninth such election of the Fifth French Republic. ... Alexandre Coste, son of Albert II of Monaco, on the cover of Paris Match Paris Match is a French magazine. ... Hachette Filipacchi Médias, S.A. (HFM) is the largest magazine publisher in the world. ... Cécilia Sarkozy (born as Cecilia María Sara Isabel Ciganer, later Ciganer-Albéniz, born November 12, 1957 in Boulogne-Billancourt) is the wife of French president Nicolas Sarkozy. ...

History of freedom of press and censorship in France

During World War I, postal censorship was in force, as the French state thought it necessary to control the public's morale and thus engaged in a sort of psychological warfare. Censorship was current during the war, leading to the 1915 creation of Le Canard enchaîné weekly, which uses satires and other games of words to pass through "Anastasia's scissors", as was popularly called the censors (such words games still exist in Le Canard, for leisure purposes, such as the section named "Sur l'album de la Ccomtesse" . “The Great War ” redirects here. ... During times of war post from the front is often opened and offending parts blanked or cut out. ... The French state either designs the Republic of France (i. ... The U.S. Department of Defense defines psychological warfare (PSYWAR) as: The planned use of propaganda and other psychological actions having the primary purpose of influencing the opinions, emotions, attitudes, and behavior of hostile foreign groups in such a way as to support the achievement of national objectives. ... Article of the Canard Enchaîné mocking Nicolas Sarkozy and citing Wikipedia as source. ... Satire is a literary technique of writing or art which principally ridicules its subject (individuals, organizations, states) often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change. ... Look up Anastasia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Censorship laws were revoked with the founding of the Fifth Republic in 1958, although cases of censorship still occurred (in particular concerning films or satirical newspapers). The proclamation of the state of emergency, used during the Algerian War (1954-62) and also in 2005, during the civil unrest, allows the state to legally censor news articles and other medias productions (used during the Algerian War, this censorship disposition was not used in 2005). A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government, may work to alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors, or may order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. ... Combatants FLN (1954-62) MNA (1954-62) France (1954-62) FAF (1960-61) OAS (1961-62) Commanders Mostefa Benboulaïd Ferhat Abbas Hocine Aït Ahmed Ahmed Ben Bella Krim Belkacem Larbi Ben MHidi Rabah Bitat Mohamed Boudiaf Messali Hadj Jacques Massu Maurice Challe Said Boualam Pierre Lagaillarde Raoul... A torched car in Strasbourg, 5 November. ...

Henri Alleg's book La Question denouncing torture by the French Army during the Algerian war was censored, as well as other similar books and films, such as The Battle of Algiers. There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... The French Armed Forces made a systemic and indiscriminate use of torture during the Algerian War of Independence (1954-62), lifting a public controversy which is far from having been stifled today. ... The Battle of Algiers (in Italian, La Battaglia di Algeri) is a 1965 black-and-white film directed by Gilles Pontecorvo. ...

Recently, UMP deputy Nadine Morano interpellated Interior Minister (UMP) Nicolas Sarkozy to censor hip-hop bands, while 200 UMP deputies, led by François Grosdidier, tried without success to censor hip-hop bands. The whole thing started with a song called La France by french hip-hop band Sniper. The Union for a Popular Movement (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire, UMP), is the main French centre-right political party. ... Nicolas Sarkozy (IPA: —  ), (born Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa on 28 January 1955 in Paris, France) is the current President of France and ex officio Co-prince of Andorra. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Hip hop (disambiguation). ... La France is a 2001 song by the French hip hop band Sniper. ... Sniper is a French hip hop group composed of four sons of immigrants from the suburbs of Paris: El Tunisiano (born Bachir Baccour, of Tunisian origin) and Aketo (born Ryad Selmi, of Algerian origin) from Deuil-la-Barre, Black Renega (born Karl Appela, of reunionnais origin) from Montfermeil, and DJ...

Press

The press is largely unrestricted by law in France, although indirect pressures are sometimes applied to prevent publication of materials against the interests of the government or influential industries. Involvement of the government and major industrial groups, sometimes with political ties, with certain press organizations sometimes raises questions as to the ability of the press to remain truly independent and unrestricted. Examples include:

• the Agence France-Presse (AFP), an internationally active news agency used by the media world-wide, is a public corporation nominally independent from the government, but derives a lot of its revenue from sales to government;
• Radio France International (RFI) is funded by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and is sometimes criticized for its cover of former French colonies
• Serge Dassault, businessman involved in warplanes, and thus in government procurement contracts, (see Dassault Aviation) and senator from the ruling UMP party, owns newspapers including Le Figaro; he famously indicated that he intended his papers to reflect only "healthy ideas" (idées saines) and that left-wing ideas were unhealthy;^[1]
• the Bouygues group, a major operator of public works and thus of government procurement contracts, owns the TF1 TV channel, which has the largest audience.

In addition, most of the press depends on advertisement to generate revenue; the question of independence from advertisers is a constant and contentious one, with repeat assertions that undesirable investigations were descheduled from TV broadcasts. AFP logo Paris headquarters of AFP Charles Havas Agence France-Presse (AFP) is the oldest news agency in the world, and one of the three largest with Associated Press and Reuters. ... ... The honour entrance to the Ministry building on the Quai dOrsay The Minister of Foreign Affairs, in the Government of France, is the cabinet member responsible for the Republics network of relationships with foreign nations. ... Serge Dassault (born 4 April 1925) is a French entrepreneur and conservative politician. ... Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet of the UK defence technology organisation QinetiQ Dassault Aviation is a French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional and business jets. ... The Union for a Popular Movement (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire, UMP), is the main French centre-right political party. ... Le Figaro (English: ) is one of the leading French morning daily newspapers. ... Bouygues (Euronext: EN) is a French industrial group listed on Euronext Paris. ... TF1 is a private French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. ...

However, there are outstanding examples of freedom and independence of the press, including the Le Canard enchaîné, a newspaper that is known for its scoops and its brazen publication thereof, even against the will of the government. The Canard does not accept advertisement in order to remain truly independent. The Canard uses a funny presentation. ...

Cinema

All films intended for theatrical release have to be granted a visaby the Ministry of Culture, upon the recommendation of Commission for film classification (Commission de classification cinématographique), which can give a film one of four ratings:

• Tous publics (universal): suitable for all audiences
• Interdit aux moins de 12 ans (-12): Forbidden for under 12s
• Interdit aux moins de 16 ans (-16): Forbidden for under 16s
• Interdit aux moins de 18 ans (-18): Forbidden for under 18s

Cinemas are bound by law to prevent underaged audiences from viewing films and may be fined if they fail to do so. The Commission cannot make cuts to a film, but it can ban it, although this latter power is rarely used. In practice, this means that most films in France are categorized rather than censored. Although there are no written guidelines as to what sort of content should receive which rating and ratings are given on a case by case basis, the commissioners typically cite violent, sexual and drug related content (especially if it is deemed to be graphic or gratuitous) as reasons for higher ratings. By contrast little attention is paid to strong language. However sexual content is much less likely to produce a high rating than in many other countries, including the United States. Films that have received comparatively low ratings in France include:

• American Beauty, -12
• A Ma Soeur!, -12
• Eyes Wide Shut, U (Rated NC-17 in US)
• Kids, -12
• Taxi Driver, -16, reclassified to -12

American Beauty is a 1999 drama film that explores themes of love, freedom, self-liberation, the search for happiness, and family against the backdrop of modern American suburbia. ... Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 feature-length motion picture directed and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novella Traumnovelle (in English Dream Story) by Arthur Schnitzler. ... Kids may refer to any of the following: Kids are young goats Kids are human children Kids is a 2000 song by Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue Kids is a 1995 movie Kids was a childrens magazine published in the early 1970s Kids is a childrens magazine published... This article is about the 1976 American film. ...

List of censored books

• Henri Alleg, La Question (Minuit, 1958 - on the use of torture during the Algerian War)
• Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth ([1961), with a preface from Jean-Paul Sartre (published by François Maspero)
• Mongo Beti's Cruel hand on Cameroon, autopsy of a decolonization (Maspero, 1972) censored by the Ministry of the Interior Raymond Marcellin on the request, brought forward by Jacques Foccart, of the Cameroon government, represented in Paris by the ambassador Ferdinand Oyono.

There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Minuit (pronounced Min-wee) are an Electronic/Pop band from New Zealand, originally from Nelson. ... The French Army made a systemic use of torture during the Algerian War of Independence (1954-62), which was theorized as a counter-insurgency tactic by Roger Trinquier in Modern Warfare: A French View of Counterinsurgency (1961). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Wretched of the Earth (French: Les Damnés de la Terre, first published 1961) is Frantz Fanons most famous work, written during and regarding the Algerian struggle for independence from colonial rule. ... Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (June 21, 1905 – April 15, 1980), normally known simply as Jean-Paul Sartre (pronounced: ), was a French existentialist philosopher and pioneer, dramatist and screenwriter, novelist and critic. ... François Maspero (b 1932 in Paris [1]) is a French author and journalist, best known as an editor for leftist books in the 1970s. ... Alexandre Biyidi Awala (June 30, 1932 - October 8, 2001), known as Mongo Beti, was a Cameroonian writer. ... Categories: People stubs | 1914 births | 2004 deaths | French politicians | Nonagenarians ... Jacques Foccart (1914–1997) was French President Charles de Gaulles and then Georges Pompidous spindoctor for African policy, who founded in 1959 the Gaullist organization Service dAction Civique (SAC) with Charles Pasqua, which specialized in shady operations. ... Ferdinand Léopold Oyono (born 1929) is an author from Cameroon whose work is recognized for irony that shows how easily people can be fooled. ...

List of censored songs

• Boris Vian, The Deserter (1954)

Boris Vian (March 10, 1920 – June 23, 1959) was a French writer, poet, singer, and musician, who also wrote under the pseudonym Vernon Sullivan. ...

List of censored films

• La Garçonne, (1923)
• Zéro de conduite, (1933)
• Jean-Luc Godard, Le Petit Soldat (1960)
• Du - Zwischenzeichen der Sexualität, (1968)
• Gillo Pontecorvo, The Battle of Algiers, (1965)
• L'Essayeuse, (1976)
• Romance (1999 film)

La Garçonne is a novel by Victor Margueritte first published in 1922. ... Year 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Zéro de Conduite (trans. ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Jean-Luc Godard (French IPA: ) (born 3 December 1930) is a French filmmaker and one of the most influential members of the Nouvelle Vague, or French New Wave. Born to Franco-Swiss parents in Paris, he was educated in Nyon, Switzerland, later studying at the Lycée Rohmer, and the... Le Petit Soldat (1960), which was banned in France until 1963, was the second feature film made by French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gillo Pontecorvo (November 19, 1919 — October 12, 2006) was an Italian filmmaker, best known for La battaglia di Algeri (The Battle of Algiers), but directed several movies before its release in 1966, such as the drama Kapò (1960), which takes place in a World War II concentration camp. ... The Battle of Algiers (in Italian, La Battaglia di Algeri) is a 1965 black-and-white film directed by Gilles Pontecorvo. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Romance (Romance X) is a 1999 French movie written and directed by Catherine Breillat. ...

CSA

The Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) is charged to regulate televisions, both public and private. It surveys the respect of national legislation, as well as the respect of time allocated to each political party in the media during electoral periods. The Conseil supérieur de laudiovisuel (CSA) is a French institution whose role is to regulate the various electronic media in France, such as radio and television, including through eventual censorship. ... Political parties Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain political power within a government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns. ...

References

• Report by the chairman of the French Commission of film classification
• Internet Movie Database - films banned in France

See also

• CSA
• Human rights in France
• Reporters Without Borders

CSA has these meanings: Camphorsufonic Acid Canadian Soccer Association Canadian Space Agency Canadian Standards Association Carry save adder, a type of digital adder Casting Society of America Central des Syndicats Autonomes du Bénin (Autonomous Trade Unions Centre), trade union centre in Benin. ... In France, the country is often called the patrie des droits de lHomme (human rights homeland), mostly ironically by persons who complain about a perceived violation of theses rights. ... Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF) is a French origin international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, founded by its current general-secretary, Robert Menard. ...

External links

• CNC Centre National de la Cinématographie, parent organisation of the Commission for film classification
• CSA Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel
• IFEX International Freedom of Expression Exchange
• Specific Sites Excluded from Google.fr and or Google.de.
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