► Lead in the wing for the merger between M6 and TF1?
On May 17, 2022, the two former competing groups TF1 (TF1, TMC, TFX, LCI, etc.) and M6 (M6, W9, 6ter, Gulli, RTL, Fun Radio, etc.) formalized their union, hoping for a « finalisation » fin 2022after the green lights from the Competition Authority and the Audiovisual and Digital Communication Regulatory Authority (Arcom, ex-CSA). But the constitution of this French giant on the market for audiovisual rights, channel distribution and especially television advertising (75% of the sector’s turnover between them) received a “negative opinion” from the services at the end of July. instructions from the Competition Constable.
The Competition Authority, whose college is not required to follow this opinion, will organize hearings on this proposed merger on September 5 and 6, 2022, with a view to a decision expected in October. To give pledges, TF1 and M6 proposed on August 19 to keep their advertising agencies separate within three years of their union, according to Le Figaro.
Regarding audiovisual production, the two channels promise to “limit the circulation of French films on the antennas of the potential group”. To allow the ecosystem to reorganize, the distribution contracts of the channels would also be extended by one year with Canal+ and telecom operators.
► An “IPCC of journalism” against the Gafam
In At the Matrix (1), Christophe Deloire, Secretary General of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), forcefully challenges the dangers of “the explosion of our public space” now organized without transparency or pluralism by digital platforms. Calling for the constitution of a “digital democracy” to regain technological control, he describes from the inside his fight to make Gafam bosses and public authorities aware of the challenge of defending journalism to stem the“infodemic”particularly dangerous in times of health or nuclear crisis…
On September 22, 2022, a second Forum on Information and Democracy will be held at the initiative of RSF, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The first, initiated last year in the presence of some twenty foreign ministers and representatives of international institutions, led to the creation of an International Observatory on Information and Democracy, equivalent to the IPCC for the climate. The working group set up to reflect on the “social media account liability regimes” will then render its conclusions.
Already 350 recommendations (2) «to end the “infodemics”” (2020) or initiate “a New Deal for journalism” (2021) have already been submitted to the 45 signatory countries of the “Information and Democracy Partnership” text… The challenge this year will be to convince the United States of the Biden era to join the multilateral initiative which will structure.
► A charter to challenge editorial staff on the media’s treatment of the climate
Throughout the summer, when the effects of climate change were felt everywhere in France, NGOs, journalists and scientists pinned illustrations of the heat wave with photos of ice cream eaters by the sea, or articles not linking fires or drought to their causes.
Faced with the magnitude of disasters, information is seen as essential for understanding and acting. Convinced that certain principles must be laid down to extend the scope of reflection and improve the quality of treatment (choose words and images well, train, decompartmentalize, be consistent, etc.), a group of journalists will publish on September 14 a “charter for journalism commensurate with the ecological emergency”.
This initiative, driven by journalist Anne-Sophie Novel and the online media Vert, has already received around a hundred signatures, including those from several editorial staff.
► The outbreak of paper, sword of Damocles for the paper press
Over the past year, prices per ton of graphic paper (for newspapers) have increased by 80 to 100% in France. The General Information Press Alliance (Apig) estimates the additional cost at 100 million euros for the sector. In addition, the profession fears that this crisis will be structural, with paper manufacturers converting to packaging cardboard for e-commerce.
Faced with this situation, titles are increasing prices, adapting their formulas or switching to digital (such as free C news, Caledonian News…). Apig calls on the public authorities for help, in particular to obtain a postponement of the new methods of payment of the eco-contribution or the promotion of the tax credit for the subscription to a newspaper.
► Public broadcasting forced to rethink itself without royalty
On August 12, the Constitutional Council validated the abolition of the fee appearing in the bill on purchasing power, emphasizing in its reservations that the measure was “likely to affect the guarantee of the resources of the public audiovisual sector, which constitutes an element of its independence”. The wise will therefore ensure that the government “fixes the amount of these receipts” so that the public media are able to carry out public service missions ».
The government finally proposed that a fraction of the VAT, set at 3.7 billion euros in 2022, finance public broadcasting instead of the license fee. France Télévisions, Radio France, France Médias Monde, INA or Arte will therefore have their budgets maintained this year, but this method of financing will be obsolete from the end of 2024. Internally, unions are concerned about the merger projects proposed by the Senate, and promised mobilizations at the start of the school year.