Satisfaction Friday last in the Ministry of Culture and Communication: public broadcasting is derived in the 2009 budget, because of the contracts of objectives and means (COM) of the companies concerned (France Televisions, Radio France, Arte, the Institut national de l'audiovisuel) will be respected. And before the opening of its States General, the press will appear, for its part, his aides little or less maintained at EUR 284,5 million. Recalled Christine Albanel, Minister of Culture and Communication, the amount "history" of 2008.
For 2009, the issue of the financing of France television, before the decision of the advertising on its antennae after 20 hours from 5 January, appears in part resolved, even if the CGT still believes that "the account is not there." As expected, the levy will be indexed on inflation as of 2009, while the amount was frozen at 116 euros since 2002. It should therefore go to 118 euros, the Government building on 2 inflation next year.

Public television group will thus see its main resource cross cap of EUR 2 billion to $ 2,039 billion. For the rest of its budget, France television will get as promised an endowment of EUR 450 million from the two new taxes to compensate for the removal of advertising: on the one hand, tax 3 of the advertising turnover of the television channels and, on the other hand, that seated about 0.9 of the turnover of telecommunications operators. By maintaining of advertising during the day on public channels, on their websites and RFO, but also to the development of sponsorship, the Group hopes to do more than 200 million euros of revenue to complete its budget and fund its developments.
One or two texts
But the discussions between France television and public authorities are continuing on the business plan for the period 2009-2011. They are crucial: on the one hand, the Government expects the economies, including the establishment of the single undertaking. On the other, France television intends to have the means to finance its development into a "global media". "There is a very strong will to a new public service of high quality, create all the conditions of a public television that is even more of public service, which go even further, take risks, to a large part in culture, the creation in all its forms," said Christine Albanel.
The business plan should be with curl here in mid-October, to be presented by the Council of Ministers on 22 October, always planned date for the presentation of the reform of the audiovisual. Reflection on the existence of one or two Bills the first on the Organization of the group in a single company and the second on the decision of the advertising, the future funding and the transposition into French of the audiovisual media (ADM) Services directive law has still not been determined, admitted Friday last Christine Albanel. And for good reason: the Government fears a censorship of the Constitutional Council on the question of the governance of France television, since it is expected that the Chairman of the group be appointed by Council of Ministers and by the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA), which could be interpreted as a retreat. "There is a real risk of censorship," noted one observer. Where the interest to separate the two texts, one on the advertising project is certain to be validated. The issue is not resolved, but the time: If the Minister wants to introduce the Bill on October 22, the text should go early in the week to the Council of State.