The Senate launched Wednesday a pavement in the pond of the audio-visual public.
And this pavement, in the form of a report, promises to make some waves.
Re-elected President Emmanuel Macron decreed the end of the TV license fee to the sound of the requiem "
fight against the high cost of living
".
The Upper Chamber had no choice but to act on this decision.
But she insists on the necessary holding next year in Parliament, of a great debate on the financing and consequently on the missions and the perimeter of the audio-visual public.
A question worth nearly four billion euros for the State shareholder…
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“
The government from 2020, then 2021, had undertaken to give us a project to replace the TV license fee.
We haven't seen anything.
At the beginning of 2022, we questioned Matignon and the Élysée on this subject several times, in vain.
The reform of the financing of public broadcasting should not be reduced to a simple measure on the purchasing power of the French.
Above all, it must translate a real ambition for the public service
", believe Roger Karoutchi and Jean-Raymond Hugonet, co-rapporteurs of the joint mission of control of the finance and culture committees of the Senate on the financing of public broadcasting. .
“
There is an absolute vacuum of reflections or proposals on the part of the government since the withdrawal of the Riester reform on public broadcasting
“, deplores Roger Karoutchi, while Jean-Raymond Hugonet insists on “
the urgency of a real strategic project
”.
The two LR senators thus put forward several shocking proposals.
Starting with that of a grouping of France Télévisions, Radio France, France Médias Monde and INA within a single company.
Exit the holding company, an idea put forward by the Senate seven years ago.
We have to speed up.
“
We can clearly see that the cooperation announced has remained embryonic.
We left the structures with a bridle on their necks, which didn't really encourage anyone to get closer.
Without a guideline, without ambition set out by the State shareholder, we will remain in the tinkering
“says the co-rapporteurs.
This measure would have the advantage of systematizing pooling.
The control mission wishes that a text of law can be discussed next year so that the new structure, France Media, is inaugurated in 2025, when the mandate of Delphine Ernotte at the head of France Télévisions will end.
"
Merging is a way of making the best use of resources
", insists Roger Karoutchi.
A unique newsroom
Second shock proposal: merge all the newsrooms into a single newsroom to produce national and local international information.
Information is indeed a central pillar for radio stations and public service channels.
“
It's not about downsizing.
It's a matter of doing the exact opposite
,” wishes to reassure Jean-Raymond Hugonet.
This joint drafting, which would make it possible to “
remove duplicates and strengthen expertise
”, would be organized into three poles, covering international, national and local.
France 3 and France Bleu would be brought together within the same subsidiary,
"France Médias Régions
".
This territorialized editorial offer would be available on all media.
Another recommendation: to oblige by law, the manufacturers of television sets and the telecom operators to institute a button on their remote control allowing direct access to the programs of the public service.
Finally, the report, plan for a unified digital strategy.
“
That doesn't mean that you have to shave everything in favor of a single brand.
But we must concentrate the forces and the means, according to common objectives, because we are copiously behind
, ”points out Jean-Raymond Hugonet.
Objective: to allow the French to have easier access to the digital offer of the public service.
Thirdly, the mission proposes the creation of a "newsroom" common to all public audiovisual groups.
Concerning the financial aspect, the government having already indicated that it would go through budgeting to finance public broadcasting after the abolition of the fee, the Senate recommends the establishment of an independent commission responsible for evaluating the needs of public broadcasting?
This entity, called the Higher Authority for Public Audiovisual (ASAP), would be chaired by a magistrate from the Court of Auditors and would include four personalities appointed by the Assembly and the Senate.
"
We want to find a solution that allows public broadcasting companies to have some visibility on their financial trajectory
", explains Roger Karoutchi.
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