2024-01-23 21:45:04
TF1 is once once more resuming its offensive once morest France Télévisions. The private television group has been campaigning since spring 2023 to rectify what it considers to be distortions of competition that are unfavorable to it.
A new step was taken with the filing of a complaint before the European Commission citing “illegal state aid” in favor of France Télévisions (France 2, France 3, France 4, France 5, Franceinfo and France TV). Revealed by Le FigaroMonday January 22 evening, the request was filed on November 15, 2023 before being notified a few days ago to the French State.
According to the Bouygues subsidiary and its advisors, the financing granted to France Télévisions – or 2.57 billion euros in 2024 – would be in violation of European law, because it is not accompanied by sufficiently precise obligations and sufficient controls. .
” It’s a joke “reacted Christophe Tardieu, the secretary general of France Télévisions, recalling that public broadcasting has specifications that it is required to respect and a contract of objectives and means (COM) defined with the State. « L’Arcom [LAutorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique] and Parliament verify its indicators every year”he insists.
While France 2’s audience increased in 2023 (+0.3 points to 15.3%) and might overtake TF1 this summer during the Olympic Games, the front page accuses France Télévisions of circumventing its obligations in terms of broadcasting. limitation of or even exposure of live shows on its channels. “France Télévisions broadcasts which relates to public service missions on its small channels and promotes the commercial capacity of its flagship France 2”estimates Benoît Le Bret, one of the two lawyers in charge of the case with Frédéric Mion. “We will soon broadcast, in prime time, the entire documentary “Shoah” on France 2 from 9 p.m. to more than 3 a.m., would TF1 do it? »tackles Mr. Tardieu, pointing out that the public channel does not broadcast either reality TV or American series, unlike its rival.
TF1 accuses France Télévisions of “double tax fraud”
TF1’s lawyers point to another element: the fact that public broadcasting is financed by the allocation of a fraction of VAT, since the abolition of the audiovisual license fee in 2022. The change in financing methods decided by the legislator constituting new state aid, according to Benoît Le Bret, it should have been notified to the European Commission before being implemented.
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