The Senate is studying the creation of a holding company bringing together the public audiovisual media

The Senate began, Monday, June 12, the discussion of a bill on the audiovisual whose flagship measure takes up the controversial idea of ​​a holding company overseeing France Télévisions and Radio France. The idea was already in the drawers in 2019, when Franck Riester was Minister of Culture, but it had been abandoned during the health crisis.

This holding company, called France Médias, would be made up of four subsidiaries: France Télévisions, Radio France, France Médias Monde (RFI and France 24) and the National Audiovisual Institute (INA). The latter would pass from the status of a public institution to that of a company. 100% owned by the State, this holding company would be set up on January 1, 2024. Arte France and TV5 Monde would remain apart since they are governed by international treaties.

“A destabilizing factor”

The idea of ​​creating a holding company also emerged last week in a report by MPs Jean-Jacques Gaultier (LR) and Quentin Bataillon (Renaissance), who also wanted to eliminate advertising and sponsorship on public channels and digital platforms, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. But, during their hearings, the bosses of public broadcasting showed their reluctance.

“I’m not sure it’s the priority at the moment”replied in April Delphine Ernotte, CEO of France Télévisions. “It is rather a destabilizing factor to regularly put the issue of governance back on the table”added Sibyle Veil, number one of Radio France. “A large institutional mechanic does not seem to me to be necessary or a priority”, affirmed for her part the Minister of Culture Rima Abdul-Malak before the Senate. The left, for its part, expressed its fear that a holding company would accentuate the fragility of the public sector and, on the contrary, would benefit the private channels.