Advertising after 8 p.m.: towards a total abolition?

Towards the end of advertising on France 2, France 3, France 4 and France 5? According to two parliamentarians in charge of the information mission on the overhaul of public broadcasting, this would be more than recommended. MPs Quentin Bataillon (Renaissance) and Jean-Jacques Gaultier (Les Républicains) will present the conclusions of their report, containing no less than 30 proposals, to the National Assembly this Wednesday, June 7.

Major target, and even main of these writings, France Televisions did not wish to react. This recommendation also comes in a context of tensions between the group and the Association of Private Channels (ACP), bringing together TF1, M6, Canal or Altice (BFM, RMC).

The Association of Private Channels (ACP) had already wished to solicit the attention of Elisabeth Borne. The group accused France Télévisions of unfair competition, according to Le Point. “In a particularly competitive television advertising market”, the ACP asks “that the rules be reaffirmed and cannot be circumvented, in particular with regard to advertising on digital applications or the ban on advertising after 8 p.m. public channels,” as the statement explained. Advertisements concerning the group’s various digital applications are targeted.

In addition, the two deputies are looking for alternatives and solutions in order to pursue the “well-being” of French television. As a result, they advocate and call for “sustaining the financing of public broadcasting by a fraction of VAT”, which has replaced the contribution to public broadcasting, better known as the “television fee”. They also plead for the end of “the budgetary constraint exercise carried out since 2018, in order to give public broadcasting the means to carry out the investments necessary for the new challenges” of the sector.