ABSTRACT
Access to the electronic media at election times is crucial for candidates standing for election to the institutions of government, who require the platform that television and radio offers them to communicate to the public. But are the media and elections compatible? The audience that candidates reach through the mass media constitutes an infinitely larger public than the one that they may address at public meetings. A variety of traditional media are still used by candidates at election times to promote their campaigns, such as ballot papers with a “declaration of principles” and traditional meetings, and these remain essential for both prominent and lesser known candidates. However, radio and television constitute the privileged platform for candidates during an election campaign. Moreover, as French law imposes restrictions on election expenses, this platform, which is free to speakers, is enticing.
