France Télévisions agrees funding deal

Public broadcaster France Télévisions has struck an agreement with the French government that will see its funding from the state rise by about 2.2% a year, from about €2.46 billion this year to €2.69 billion in 2015.

The amount is less than the 2.8% annual rise that the broadcaster had hoped for. However, the government has also decided that if the public broadcaster earns more in advertising revenue than estimated (from its now restricted to non-primetime advertising opportunities), it will be able to keep the surplus. The deal is based on an expectation that the broadcaster will grow its ad revenues by 1.4% a year on average, with an expectation that they will decline from €440 million in 2010 to €425 million this year before rising by 2% a year thereafter.

France Télévisions investment in programming is expected to grow by 2.8% a year, and is expected to pass 20% of revenues next year, rising to €420 million.