Le Figaro reports that, under the auspices of the Elysee, the French government intends to settle the tricky issue of foreign radio and television broadcasting by the end of the year. 300 million euros are spent each year to finance the various uncoordinated entities which make it up. One year after the launch of the international news channel France 24, says the newspaper, the need to reconfigure this loose conglomeration has never been so great, both in terms of strategy and costs.
At this stage the formation of a holding company overseeing TV5, France 24, and Radio France Internationale (RFI) is said to hold the state’s attention. This would give the state some time to study the case of RFI, which is to be modernized. While the presence in Africa and the Middle East remains strategic, its broadcasting in Europe deserves to be rethought by favouring associations with local radio stations and the use of the Internet, says Le Figaro.
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)