This Thursday, November 14, it was champagne at Radio France! The Médiamétrie results for the September-October period highlighted the choices of the public service, almost all of which are making progress. France Inter consolidated its status as leading station, even erasing its historical audience record, while France Info won its duel with RTL for the runner-up position. As for France Culture, it passed the mark of 2 million daily listeners, a first in its history. So much good news which brought a smile to the face of Sibyle Veil, general director of the group, who was not spared from the criticism. “These results show that between Radio France and the French there is mad love. And this love lasts and grows”she congratulates herself in the columns of “Parisien”.
However, a grain of sand has slipped into the cogs of a well-oiled machine: the public broadcasting reform law carried by Rachida Dati. This project opens the way to safeguarding the financing mechanism of France Télévisions, Radio France, France Médias Monde, TV5 Monde, Arte and INA, and calls for a budget reduction. As a protest, public figures and employees of the group signed a petition against this merger, denouncing in particular the negative effect of the reform on the plurality of the media and the quality of information. For Sibyle Veil, the excellent figures for the start of the school year could slow down the government's ambitions. “My conviction is that we need solid public services. And that is obviously what I plead to all my interlocutors. We have encouraging signs”she asserts, while the National Assembly voted in committee for a proposed organic law which ensures independent financing for public broadcasting. “This independence is the key to the contract of trust with our auditors“, insists the manager.
“We have already made a lot of savings”
Delphine Ernotte is preparing to cut France Télévisions' expenses by 85 million euros in 2025. Are such savings also envisaged by Sibyle Veil? “In recent years, we have already made a lot of savings and eliminated jobs. We are being asked for significant additional savings for 2025 which will require real efforts”the senior civil servant responded to our colleagues. And to conclude, firm in his positions: “We should not end up destroying stations which are working and which today have popular support.”
