After a holding company in 2025, the French government plans a merger of public audiovisual companies on January 1, 2026, in an amendment which will be submitted to deputies in committee from Tuesday. Calling for the creation of a “powerful pole”, the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati announced support for a rapid regrouping within a holding company. But she had maintained vagueness regarding possible further integration, which raises concerns within the sector.
A merger is “proposed in two stages”: “the creation on January 1, 2025 of a holding company at the head of a group bringing together France Télévisions, Radio France, France Médias monde and INA” then “the merger on January 1 2026 of subsidiaries within the company France Médias,” explains the government in the presentation of one of its 28 amendments tabled on Friday. “All property, rights and obligations” of these companies “are transferred to the company France Médias” with effect from January 1, 2026, details the key government amendment of around twenty pages.
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It adds a new chapter to the text on the menu of the Cultural Affairs Committee at first reading, from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday. This text is a bill from the Senate, which will then be debated in the hemicycle of the National Assembly on May 23 and 24. The Radio France unions have already stated their opposition to “any form of merger” and are calling for a strike on these dates at the end of the month. Rachida Dati, who wants to move quickly, plans to refocus the senatorial text on governance issues.
Superpowerful, “The CEO of the company France Médias is appointed for five years by Arcom”, the audiovisual regulatory authority, “under the terms of a transparent, open, effective and non-discriminatory procedure”, provides for a another government amendment. “This reform of public broadcasting should make it possible to offer a richer offer, better highlighted on all broadcast channels so that it can be addressed to all French people,” it is explained in particular.
