MPs in favor of a total abolition of advertising after 8 p.m. on France Télévisions

A big kick in the anthill of public broadcasting. On Wednesday, MPs Jean-Jacques Gaultier (LR) and Quentin Bataillon (Renaissance) will present the conclusions of their report on the future of public broadcasting to the National Assembly's Committee on Cultural Affairs and Education. And the two parliamentarians hope to move the lines. “We must revolutionize the public audiovisual sector”, indicates the president of the mission of information, Jean-Jacques Gaultier, to Figaro.

The idea is not to dynamite it but to "strengthen its specificities, consolidate its independence and sustain its funding", he continues. The two parliamentarians therefore made 30 proposals. Among those that risk shaking up the sector, the removal of advertisers between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. on national antennas and the platforms of France Televisions. No more sponsorship on France 2 or France 3, no more advertising spots before the replay broadcast of a series or a documentary on the site. The report recommends the “zero advertising” option. "A strong element of differentiation vis-à-vis the private sector", argues Quentin Bataillon.

The work of the fact-finding mission made it possible to compare the French situation with that of other public media in Europe. Across the Channel, the BBC has no advertising revenue for its national channels. In Spain, advertising has been banned since 2009 on RTVE antennas. In Germany, it is not allowed around children's programs, religious broadcasts or from 8 p.m., on public holidays, as well as on Sundays on the public service.

The president and the rapporteur of the report consider, both, “excessive” the recourse to sponsorship on the antennas of France Télévisions. They note in passing that, since 2018, the group led by Delphine Ernotte, financed to the tune of 2.4 billion euros by a public endowment, has seen its overall advertising revenue increase from 348 million to 393 million euros. past year. That is 45 million more in four years.

While the television advertising market fell 7% in the first quarter, tensions are exacerbated. In mid-May, TF1, M6, Canal and Altice (BFMTV, RMC...), gathered within the Association of Private Channels (ACP), called on Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to "put an end to circumvention practices of France Télévisions and its continuous demands for the expansion of advertising on its various antennas". The measures recommended by the report go well beyond that. And they ultimately agree with the proposal of senators Jean-Raymond Hugonet and Roger Karoutchi, to remove sponsorship revenue from France Télévisions and Radio France. Jean-Jacques Gaultier and Quentin Bataillon are aiming for “a gradual reduction in advertising, in all its forms, on television and public service radio antennas”. According to them, it is imperative to “take care not to unbalance the advertising market as many advertisers migrate to digital media. We need strong public broadcasting, but also strong private players,” they explain.

France Télévisions would not be harmed. Knowing that the prohibition of sponsorship and digital advertising in the evening would deprive the group "of almost a third of its advertising revenue", the two deputies propose to compensate for these loss of revenue by "the allocation, to the euro close to a fraction of the proceeds of the tax on digital services”. In short, it is the digital giants that would be called upon.

With regard, again, to the financing of public broadcasting, a subject at the heart of the report, Jean-Jacques Gaultier and Quentin Bataillon suggest modifying the Organic Law relating to finance laws "as soon as possible", imperatively before the filing of the project finance law for the year 2025, with a view to "sustaining the financing of public broadcasting by a fraction of VAT". The two deputies will table a proposal for an organic law to this effect.

If the absence or at least the reduction of advertising is a key differentiating factor vis-à-vis private channels, it is not the only one. The public audiovisual sector will have to “maintain the most demanding cultural programs on its generalist channels without confining them to the more confidential distribution channels”. A pitfall pointed out by the private channels precisely. Other recommended measures: an expanded offer of information and programs relating to Europe and a more important place given to international content on Franceinfo.

The two deputies also join the Senate on the question of the governance of public broadcasting which must be "reformed, more coherent and convergent, abandoning an organization in silos". They are thus in favor of the creation of a holding company, "capable of playing the role of leader and facilitator between public audiovisual entities, in order to ensure that the common course is followed and the planned progress of collaborations ". But, they insist, to ensure its independence, its CEO will have to be appointed by a board of directors, "after the assent of Arcom and the committees responsible for cultural affairs of the assemblies". More generally, cooperation between the various structures will have to be strengthened: establishment of a joint newsroom at Radio France, France 24 and France Télévisions - a solution already pushed by the Upper House -, creation of a common search engine to facilitate referrals between the different digital platforms of public groups...

“In a moving world, a stationary target is an easy target. All our European neighbors have already upgraded their public broadcasting,” insists Jean-Jacques Gaultier. And to recall that the Senate will also present a bill on June 12 with a view to reforming public broadcasting. With converging points of view. “If today, the economic actors, the deputies and the senators all believe that it is the moment to act, it is necessary to ask the good questions”, insist Jean-Jacques Gaultier and Quentin Bataillon. “It is not so common for a parliamentary initiative to win a majority in the Assembly and the Senate. It is the status quo that would endanger public broadcasting, ”slips the latter.