French state television without advertising since Monday evening
Starting Monday, public television in France has had to make do with fewer commercials. Effective immediately, the France Télévisions group is prohibited from airing commercials between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Public television in France has had to make do with less advertising since Monday. From 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., there is now a ban on advertising for the France Télévisions broadcasting group. France's head of state Nicolas Sarkozy had pushed through the abolition of advertising on public television. From the end of 2011, there will be no more advertising on public broadcasters.
Experts expect broadcasters to lose hundreds of millions of euros in advertising revenue in favor of private broadcasters. The losses are to be offset by levies on landline, mobile and online providers and private broadcasters.
Critics see the reform as a "gift" from Sarkozy to the owners of French private broadcasters, some of whom are among his friends. Not only can they hope for higher revenues, but the new law also allows them to place more advertising blocks, as private broadcasters are now permitted nine minutes of advertising per hour instead of the previous six.
Legally, the law on the advertising ban is still pending in parliament. Although the National Assembly has approved the plan, a decision in the Senate is still pending. It will discuss the project on Wednesday, with several representatives of the government majority opposing the abolition. The board of directors of the public broadcaster France Télévisions had decided on its own initiative to implement the first stage of the advertising ban from Monday, regardless of the parliamentary procedure.
Experts expect broadcasters to lose hundreds of millions of euros in advertising revenue in favor of private broadcasters. The losses are to be offset by levies on landline, mobile and online providers and private broadcasters.
Critics see the reform as a "gift" from Sarkozy to the owners of French private broadcasters, some of whom are among his friends. Not only can they hope for higher revenues, but the new law also allows them to place more advertising blocks, as private broadcasters are now permitted nine minutes of advertising per hour instead of the previous six.
Legally, the law on the advertising ban is still pending in parliament. Although the National Assembly has approved the plan, a decision in the Senate is still pending. It will discuss the project on Wednesday, with several representatives of the government majority opposing the abolition. The board of directors of the public broadcaster France Télévisions had decided on its own initiative to implement the first stage of the advertising ban from Monday, regardless of the parliamentary procedure.
