ABSTRACT
The rapid succession of regulatory authorities, and the concomitant changes of personnel inspired by political priorities, convincingly demonstrated that, in the eyes of government, media control remained an important political issue. By 1995, as the relative longevity of the Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel suggested, the situation had stabilised, and media reform was not an issue in the election. This chapter focuses on what proved a more significant issue in 1995, namely the role of the media in facilitating the electoral process, that is, informing the public, effecting communication between candidates and the electorate, and providing a forum for political debate. Comparison of Chirac’s and Balladur’s strategies suggests the merits of a flexible, multi-faceted campaign, continually staging events which will be reported in the media so as to keep the candidate in the public eye. The best that media commentators could find to say about the candidates’ performance was that it had been civil, courteous and modest.
