Particle.news
Download on the App Store

France 2 Blurs 19th‑Century Nude Sculpture on Evening News

The channel said the masking was an individual error with no policy change announced, raising questions about editorial rules at the public broadcaster.

Overview

  • A France 2 20 Heures interview filmed in Issy‑les‑Moulineaux showed the 1894 statue 'Amour' briefly blurred in the background, a sequence that lasted about thirteen seconds during the May 19 broadcast.
  • France 2 posted an apology on its Le20h account on X saying the blurring was "an initiative individuelle" and that the image had been aired by mistake.
  • The work is a restored public sculpture by Louis Cosme Demaille that depicts a nude couple, which prompted many observers to question why a classical artwork would be masked on a French public news bulletin.
  • The clip circulated widely on social media and drew critical reactions from figures such as Gilbert Collard and from far‑right accounts who portrayed the move as censorship or excessive prudery.
  • The episode adds to scrutiny of France Télévisions after recent newsroom errors and leaves an unresolved issue about internal rules and live‑mix practices because the broadcaster announced no formal change to its procedures.