Public broadcasting merger mission: France 24 on strike | EUROtoday

Published on : 05/23/2024 – 10:01

2 minutes

Staff at France Médias Monde, France Télévisions and Radio France are on strike Thursday and Friday in opposition to the proposed lightning merger of public broadcasting defended by the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati.

Due to its worldwide positioning, France Médias Monde, of which France 24 is a component, faces particular geopolitical challenges. The broadcast of France 24 and RFI was, for instance, minimize in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

The case of FMM is subsequently debated inside the presidential camp, with some believing that it ought to be excluded from the reform and never merged with the opposite firms.

The National Assembly should theoretically debate this reform on the identical time in first studying, with 280 amendments on the menu. But the examination dangers being postponed till June 24 because of the delay on one other textual content, the agricultural invoice.

From the regional networks of France 3 or France Bleu to the Parisian headquarters, the mobilization guarantees to be huge in opposition to what’s perceived as a “forceful passage”.

Disrupted packages

Thursday morning, the Radio France antennas had been disrupted and the same old broadcasts had been changed by music. On the tv facet, if the Télématin present on France 2 was in a position to happen reside, the Franceinfo channel rebroadcast packages. Likewise, France 24 packages shall be severely disrupted all through the day.

To make sure the retransmission of the controversy scheduled for Thursday at 8:15 p.m. on France 2 between Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and RN President Jordan Bardella, administration has additionally deliberate to make use of exterior service suppliers, in accordance with the unions.

Tight schedule

Wanting to “gather forces”, the Minister of Culture plans a transitional section with a typical holding firm for public broadcasting on January 1, 2025, then a merger a yr later. Some 16,000 workers are affected.

In addition to France Télévisions and Radio France, the audiovisual juggernaut would additionally convey collectively Ina (National Audiovisual Institute) and France Médias Monde (RFI, France 24). The integration of this final group, nevertheless, is debated even within the presidential camp.

Strike discover

Strike notices have been filed in these 4 public firms, the place there are fears for sources and jobs. A rally is deliberate close to the Ministry of Culture on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

“It is our survival that is at stake,” mentioned the Radio France unions throughout a basic meeting on Wednesday, calling for “a radical message” to be despatched by the strike.

They are getting ready one other mobilization for May 28, within the occasion that the primary solemn vote on the reform by the deputies is maintained on this date.

With AFP