Thirty deputies on the public broadcasting inquiry commission will vote on Monday on publishing rapporteur Charles Alloncle’s report. The document proposes controversial measures such as banning reality TV on France Télévisions and merging channels. Tensions are high within the commission, with president Jérémie Patrier-Leitus advocating transparency while criticizing press leaks.
The public broadcasting inquiry commission, launched four to five months ago, concludes its work amid heated controversies. Drafted by UDR deputy Charles Alloncle, the final report recommends drastic savings: merging and cutting channels, reducing France Télévisions’ entertainment and games budget, and reverting to appointments of leaders by the President of the Republic after parliamentary and Arcom opinions.
Among the shocking proposals is banning reality TV from France Télévisions screens. “Charles Alloncle proposes to ban reality TV from France Télévisions screens, while this public broadcasting inquiry commission has itself become one,” fumes an unnamed deputy.
Commission president Jérémie Patrier-Leitus (Horizons) wants the report published “for the sake of transparency towards the French.” He criticizes, however, “the publication in the press of proposals from his report, breaching the strict rules governing inquiry commissions” before the vote.
The ballot, set for Monday at 2:30 p.m. at the National Assembly behind closed doors, pits the 30 commission members against each other. A favorable vote would allow publication a week later; rejection, though rare, would block it.