Louise Bernard, with Alexis Patri
Three companies of journalists from the public audiovisual sector point out in a press release the threat that the abolition of the audiovisual license fee would constitute. The government announced on Wednesday May 11 its desire to abolish the audiovisual license fee this year, according to the report of the Council of Ministers.
The government worries the public service. The Council of Ministers made public last Wednesday its desire to abolish the audiovisual license fee, which allows the financing of public radio and television. In response, three journalists’ societies published a joint press release, those of France 2, France 3 and franceinfo.fr. They point to the threat that the abolition of this fee would represent for the independence of the public service and for information.
“A Fool’s Market”
The license fee is a tax automatically assigned to the financing of public broadcasting. “Once voted, it would only depend on the (good) will of the power and its (bad) moods”, worry in their press release the three companies of journalists.
They also denounce “a fool’s bargain”. The government promises an increase in the purchasing power of the French by removing this fee, while guaranteeing the same funding for public broadcasting. Impossible, according to these journalists. “Either the State continues to finance public broadcasting and mobilizes public money, therefore that of the taxpayer. Or, it does not compensate for the end of the license fee and therefore reduces the means of public broadcasting”, believe- they. In the event of victory in the legislative elections, the government has planned to vote very quickly for this abolition of the fee, just after the ballot.