The advertising and communication sector had already done so in 2017. It is now the turn of the audiovisual sector to constitute its “sector”, in the form of an Association law 1901. At its launch on November 13 , LaFA matters ten founding members and is chaired by Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of TF1, for a period of 2 years.
His goals? “Produce elements of understanding of our sector, its economic and cultural issues, intended for all stakeholders: regulator, legislator, government, European Commission, and all actors interested in developments in French audiovisual .”
In short, it is a matter of stakeholders in the sector strengthening their voice in the public and political debate in order to preserve the audiovisual value chain and its 300,000 jobs, weakened by the structural transformations of the sector. The announcement of the launch in fact cites numerous hobby horses: the protection of the State funding of public broadcastingthe lifting of regulatory restrictions which are suitable for TV advertising, the defense ofbudgetary autonomy and the missions of the CNC, like sustainability of the compensation scheme for intermittent workers of spectacle, or even the preservation of tax credit schemes audiovisual, cinema and music.
The digital and technological aspect is not forgotten, with the mention of the promotion ofGenerative artificial intelligence (GAI) that is ethical, responsible and respectful of intellectual property rights or support for a regulatory framework for digital platforms in Europe. Because, as Le Figaro notes, the aim of this alliance is above all to “weigh against the powerful Gafa lobby” – acronym to which the “N” of Netflix should be added.
“The danger today does not come from what TF1, M6 or France Télévisions could do against each other. The danger is between the global media and the national media. And the balance of power is completely unfair, whether in terms of size or regulation. We want to rebalance this balance of power,” explained Delphine Ernotte on a daily basis. Youtube and Netflix are obviously the first targets.
Behind this common front, however, important players are missing – starting with Canal+ which did not respond to the call – but also BFM-RMC or the RadioFrance group. “All goodwill is welcome. On condition that they share a constructive vision of the French creative ecosystem. There is no question that they are in the balance of power, the brutality and the defense of strictly individual interest of their society”, assures Roldophe Belmer, quoted by Le Monde. Already, according to information from Les Echos, two new players will soon join LaFA: Arte and the Union of Producers and Creators of Audiovisual Programs.
Next meeting: in spring 2025, for the publication of a first study on the economic weight of French audiovisual and first recommendations.
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