the new Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati promises “reform”

“We must bring together forces,” believes the Minister of Culture.

The Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, promises Wednesday January 31 on France Inter a “reform” of public broadcasting, which must intervene “quickly”, according to her. “If you want to preserve it, in a world which is undergoing immense technological upheaval, we must bring together forces”, she says. She quotes “private media” And “European radios and televisions” Who “have very strong poles because they have gathered their forces”. “We won’t be able to do otherwise,” she insists.

“We started it on local networks. From the base, it started,” adds the minister, in reference to the merger between France Bleu radio and France 3 television. Does she imagine a “French-style BBC ? When I was not Minister of Culture, it was my idea, it was my conviction”, she says. The British Broadcasting Corporation brings together, among others, British public television and radio.

“There can be mergers, cooperation, positive synergies, that’s what we need to think about,” Rachida Dati is still moving forward. On the question of financing, it remains unclear: “if you have a strong, powerful, preserved public audiovisual sector, the budgetary aspect will follow”. The fee, which made it possible to finance it, was replaced by the allocation of a fraction of VAT. A mechanism which will have to end in 2025 if the legislation in force does not change.

A reform of public broadcasting was planned during Emmanuel Macron’s first five-year term. It provided for the creation of a “holding” to bring together Radio France and France Télévisions. This reform, a collateral victim of the Covid crisis, was abandoned.