The public rapporteur of the Council of State recommended Friday to maintain the record fine of 3.5 million euros inflicted last year by Arcom on C8, which contests it, after the insults of its star Cyril Hanouna at LFI deputy Louis Boyard, according to his conclusions consulted by AFP. “Asshole”, “tocard”, “you’re a piece of shit”… “Contrary to what is supported” by the Canal group channel, there is “little doubt that the kind qualifiers addressed” live by the presenter of Touche pas à mon poste to the elected official in November 2022 “constitute many insults”, justifies the rapporteur in particular.
Former TPMP columnist, Louis Boyard was invited as a deputy in an issue dedicated to welcoming the migrant boat Ocean Viking. He then triggered the anger of Cyril Hanouna by pointing the finger at the “five richest people” in France who, according to him, “are impoverishing Africa”, citing billionaire Vincent Bolloré, shareholder of companies in Africa and owner of the group Channel. Seized on this sequence of around ten minutes, concluded by the departure of Louis Boyard to the boos of the public, Arcom sanctioned C8 in February 2023 with a record fine of 3.5 million euros.
The audiovisual regulator had at the same time put it on notice to respect its obligations in terms of honesty and independence of information. Friday, the public rapporteur recommended the rejection of the two appeals filed before the Council of State by C8 against these two measures. In addition to the proven nature of the “insults” uttered by Cyril Hanouna, “it is quite obvious that the host prevented his guest from criticizing the main shareholder of the group,” notes the magistrate.
Controversial host-producer, Cyril Hanouna, 49, is used to slip-ups and his broadcasts have earned C8 a barrage of reminders from Arcom, for a total of 7.5 million euros in fines. . C8, like the other channel of the Canal CNews group, is applying for the renewal of its digital terrestrial television frequency (DTT) as part of a procedure currently being carried out by Arcom and where their fate is the focus of attention.