“It is not too late to prevent the forced implementation of cheap public broadcasting. Do not destroy a public service that is working”, they plead on the eve of the examination of this reform project by the ‘National Assembly.
Wanting to “gather forces”, the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati plans a merger of France Télévisions, Radio France, Ina (National Audiovisual Institute) and France Médias Monde (RFI, France 24) – including the integration the project is under debate – as of January 1, 2026, after a one-year transitional phase in the form of a joint holding company. The unions of these public companies called a strike on Thursday and Friday.
“Risk is above all democratic”
“Why is the government orchestrating this marriage between radios and televisions at a breakneck pace? Why pass this law without consultation?” ask the signatories of the forum, journalists, presenters, producers, technicians, or teams administrative offices of France Inter, France Culture, France Musique and also franceinfo.
“The risk is above all democratic. We fear for the independence of your public service media when we appoint, for this superstructure, a single CEO, with full powers,” they point out.
“Radio France is an incredible machine for promoting culture and, better, cultural diversity”, but “under the pretext of rationalization, the merger of TV and radio stations will lead to the reduction of these showcases”, they also argue.
“We are all very attached to the work”
Thus, “wanting to merge all public broadcasting seems demagogic, ineffective and dangerous to us”. “We are all very attached to the work of our colleagues in public television, with whom some of us already produce content on a daily basis. But there is no need to regroup,” emphasize these staff, particularly worried at the idea that the radio can be swallowed up by TV.
“Five former Ministers of Culture (Rima Abdul Malak, Roselyne Bachelot, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, Jacques Toubon and Fleur Pellerin, Editor’s note) denounce the absurdity of this vague and rushed project,” they recall.
On France Inter on Wednesday, Renaissance MP Quentin Bataillon, one of the promoters of this merger, insisted that it is a question of “rapid reform to add forces, never subtract them”. France “is one of the European anomalies with fragmented societies” and “the status quo is no longer possible” in the face of competition from social platforms and networks, according to him. “This reform will allow the upward alignment of Radio France’s salaries,” also noted the elected representative of the Loire.