FTV to pour €78MN into digital devs next year

Pascale Paoli-Lebailly | 23-12-2013

France Televisions, whose board of administrators approved on Friday the PSB group 2014 forecast budget, will pour €78MN into digital developments compared with €46MN two years ago.

Programming and digital are the main two priorities of next year as the group has confirmed its cost reduction plan that aims at breaking even in 2015.

Between 2011 and 2014, the digital developments budget has risen by 70%. Next year, such new initiatives will increase significantly, the group says, with a priority being given to the multi-platform youth offer.

More globally, means allocated to programmes will be stable at €2.084BN (-0,3 %).

Despite ad revenue forecasts on the downward slope, France Télévisions' budget is said to be in line with the objectives and means contract amendment signed recently.

FTV public resources will reach €2.493BN, while 2014 forecast ad revs are evaluated to €320MN compared with €325MN this year.

The forecast loss for 2014 is expected to reach €40.5MN.

Aiming to break even in 2015, France Télévisions maintains its structural cost reduction plan whose objective is to decrease spending by 5% compared with 2013.

This will notably affect the group's staff levels as they must pass to 10,138 full time jobs in 2014, vs 10,316 in 2013 and 10,490 in 2012.