The entertainment show The Bachelor, aired on Canal+, could still be banned in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). After a ruling from the Conseil d'État that allowed the French distributor to resume broadcasting, the country’s High Council for Audiovisual and Communication (CSAC) has reopened the case. This was announced on November 5, during the official launch of the State Council, the country's highest administrative court.

Marthe Odio Nonde, president of the State Council, declared: "The CSAC’s chairman, after understandable dissatisfaction expressed by some who wrongly criticized the summary judge, has taken the right approach. His letter no. 125 of October 25, 2024, which I have received, shows he will follow all necessary legal steps."

The State Council noted that articles 60, 61, and 62 of the law from January 10, 2011, regarding the CSAC require several steps before banning The Bachelor. These steps include formal notice, publication of that notice, notification of grievances, allowing for a defense, and finally issuing a sanction.

Canal+ appealed to an interim relief judge, who ruled that these steps had not been followed and ordered a suspension of the ban. This ruling also led to the suspension of a CSAC decision from September 11 that had imposed a 45-day suspension on Canal+ POP for continuing to air The Bachelor despite its ban.

"Dear subscribers, following the Conseil d'État's decision, we are pleased to inform you that the suspension of Canal+ POP and The Bachelor has been lifted as of Monday, September 30, 2024," Canal+ announced on Sept. 30.

Economic Challenges

It is worth noting that the State Council has not ruled on whether the regulator was right or wrong to ban The Bachelor, a show it considers "too immoral, indecent and contrary to public decency."

With the CSAC reopening the case, one might expect a resolution soon. However, the final decision could come after the current season of the controversial program has already ended, leaving future seasons at risk of a ban.

For Canal+, The Bachelor is a key program that attracts a diverse audience and helps sell advertising space. When Canal+ Impact launched in the DRC in July 2024, company executives stated that Canal+ had created over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country and contributed $33 million to public revenues. Any disruption to its operations in the DRC poses an economic challenge for both the company and the country.

Even if the program is banned in the DRC, Congolese viewers can still watch it on social media.

From a broader perspective, this incident shows that in the DRC, where the judicial system often faces criticism, a company can secure a favorable court ruling quickly even against a public institution.

Georges Auréole Bamba