Jobs cuts fear as France Télévisions forecasts €80–100 million deficit in 2013Pascale Paoli-Lebailly | 26-10-2012
France Télévisions President Rémy Pflimlin has forecast a deficit in the range of €80–100 million for the TV group in 2013 leading to fears for the company embarking on a drastic job cut programme.
As designated by the French Senate, public broadcasters’ funding allocation will decrease by 1.6 % next year, with France Télévisions being most affected. In 2013, the group will receive €2.45 billion, €85 million less than this year. FTV also anticipates a €67 million slump in ad revenues. At the end of 2011, France Télévisions broke even, and will do this year too despite a tense advertising market.
Pflimlin added that the consequences of such action would impinge investment into French creative industries and the position of France Télévisions in the overseas territories could also be questioned. In 2011, France Télévisions poured €416 million into TV creation and €63 million into the movie industry. Such funding would not be possible in the upcoming context. More repeats will be programmed on France 2, France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô.
Campaigning against the cuts, Pflimlin is warning French politicians about the consequences in terms of direct and non-direct employment as many productions companies are more or less heavily dependent on France Télévisions commissions.
Among alternative solutions is a licence fee increase. Even though the French Assembly has already voted the project to raise the fee from €125 to 129, a new amendment has been proposed to raise it of 2 additional euros to €131.
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