Subsidies have defanged the French media

It’s not surprising that much mainstream French journalism is complacent, incurious and stenographic. The elite French media is lavishly subsidised and the torrent of handouts makes tenuous any claim that mainstream French journalism is independent.

The most compromised are the broadcasters. Indeed there’s little pretence that they offer more than token auditing of the government. Three billion euros annually goes to French state-owned radio and television stations (which are allowed to top this up selling advertising). The French TV license was abolished so the money is paid directly by the state. 

There’s a gossamer-thin pretence, through various state consultative committees, that the state broadcasters are accountable to viewers and listeners – but they’re not really. The state broadcasters know who calls the tune. Hundreds of millions more go to the newspapers in direct subsidies and tax privileges, accounting for almost a quarter of the revenue of the press.