ARCOM outlines its 2026 priorities on media pluralism and regulation
Published on 23 March 2026
On 15 January, ARCOM's president, Martin Adjari, set out the French media regulator’s main areas of focus for 2026, against the backdrop of ongoing debates on media pluralism. He highlighted several a range of upcoming workstreams.
Forthcoming French bill on the 'right to information'
ARCOM will be closely involved in examining the draft law intended to:
- Adapt French law to the EU Regulation on media freedom.
- Follow up on the recommandations from the “États généraux de l’information”.
Support for traditional broadcasters and the future of DTT (TNT)
In a context where legacy media are reporting losses for 2024, allegedly due to the competition incurred by digital platforms, ARCOM is preparing a white paper on digital terrestrial television (DTT) and the TNT platform aimed at supporting and reshaping the DTT ecosystem.
Upcoming review of the AVMS Directive
The revision of the AVMS Directive, announced for 2027, is seen as an opportunity to strengthen must‑carry and prominence obligations in favour of services of general interest (at a minimum, national DTT channels) across all distribution offers and interfaces. It also address attempts by some car manufacturers to remove radio from vehicles, seen by ARCOM as a threat to access to free-to-air audio services.
Why it matters: Broadcasters, platforms and media groups should anticipate tighter scrutiny on media pluralism and prominence, and prepare for potential new obligations arising from both the French “right to information” bill and the reviewed AVMS Directive in the years to come.
