Arcom considers new regulations for political podcasts

Arcom, France's audiovisual regulator, is considering new rules to oversee political podcasts ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Arcom President Martin Ajdari stated that the regulator is initiating consultations with major content creators to discuss potential frameworks for these audio and video formats published on digital platforms.

Currently, these podcasts fall outside Arcom's direct control. While creators must respect the electoral silence period prohibiting political propaganda two days before a vote, they are not subject to existing obligations regarding political pluralism, equity, or equal speaking time. Ajdari noted that the goal is to determine what measures might be appropriate regarding honesty and fairness, observing that some podcast audiences now rival those of traditional television channels.