TF1 goes to great lengths to be heard: it files a complaint in Brussels against Paris, its own government.
In November, TF1, which is the equivalent of TVA in France, discreetly because the gesture is unusual, filed a complaint against the French state with the European Union headquarters in Brussels. TF1 accuses the French government of being illegal because the annual funding ($3.6 billion) it grants to France Télévisions is not accompanied by precise commitments or sufficient controls.
For months and even years, TF1 and other private broadcasters in France have been criticizing the competitive advantages of public television channels. Their programming, particularly that of France 2, increasingly resembles private television programs and tries to compete with them rather than offering an authentic selection. One might think that one is hearing the demands that TVA has been repeating unsuccessfully for years.
Although TVA's ratings almost always exceed Radio-Canada's, the advertising market has collapsed to the point that TVA is no longer truly profitable. The rise of giants like Netflix, Disney and others isn't helping matters. If Crave and Illico win the favor of viewers, they cannot represent real competition for American streamers.
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During the CRTC's last public hearing following the adoption of the online streaming law, Pierre-Karl Péladeau, head of Quebecor, stated: “It is urgent that the Council relaxes the rules on private television so that it adapts to streaming and can survive.” Revolution. Around the same time, Bell CEO Marko Bibic told a conference at the Canadian Club of Montreal that “Canada is at a crossroads and that the CRTC must relax the obligations of traditional broadcasters.”
The discounts that all our private channels collectively demand are the same as those offered by TF1 and other private television channels in France. Logic would dictate that public television broadcasters, which rely almost entirely on public funding, should be the most heavily regulated. This is nowhere near the case here as it is in France. For example, in 2022, the specifications of France Télévisions, which brings together France's public broadcasters, consisted of 19 pages, while the specifications of TF1 alone were 180 pages! It's clear: the state doesn't trust private companies!
An example to follow?
This attitude was also demonstrated by the CRTC in June 2022 when renewing Radio-Canada's licenses. The regulator has relaxed the conditions that public broadcasters must comply with and continues to ignore the relief that private broadcasters are demanding to ensure their survival. Dissatisfaction was so great that the federal government asked the CRTC to review its decision.
TF1's approach with the European Community is perhaps an example to follow. Why shouldn't TVA, CTV and Global file a complaint in Federal Court against the Ottawa government itself granting CBC/Radio-Canada $1.3 billion a year without matching their funding with a specific mandate and appropriate cost controls? There must be a law firm in the country aggressive enough to prepare such a case.