French Public Broadcaster Faces Parliamentary Inquiry Into Neutrality, Workings, and Financing
The right-wing UDR party has initiated a parliamentary inquiry into the neutrality, workings, and financing of France's public TV and radio broadcasters, with hearings scheduled through March. This inquiry reflects far-right concerns about bias within the state broadcaster and includes calls from Marine Le Pen and the Rassemblement National (RN) party to privatize public broadcasting.
President Emmanuel Macron recently scrapped the TV licence fee, but a long-term public funding model for the broadcaster remains undefined. Additionally, Macron has distanced himself from Bolloré-owned CNews in recent months. The parliamentary probe follows a September incident in which two journalists were secretly filmed with Socialist officials; the footage was aired on Bolloré channels amid allegations of collusion with the left.
Journalists Patrick Cohen and Thomas Legrand have filed complaints for invasion of privacy, arguing the footage was presented misleadingly. Cohen stated that the video clip was referenced in 853 CNews news sequences over two weeks and amplified as part of a propaganda operation against public service media. Legrand described France as entering an era of Trumpism. Hearings were heated, with MPs accusing the inquiry of being a partisan attack on public broadcasting.
Chair Jérémie Patrier-Leitus emphasized that the inquiry is not aimed at abolishing state TV and radio, while some lawmakers defended the public broadcaster's role. Bolloré’s media group dominates private French media; CNews is the most-watched channel and is frequently critical of the public broadcaster, thereby shaping the media landscape.
France Télévisions and Radio France remain major public broadcasters. This inquiry emerges amid broader debates across Europe concerning the funding and neutrality of public media institutions.
