The parliamentary inquiry commission on public audiovisual resumes work on January 19 with new personalities summoned, including Léa Salamé, Rachida Dati, and Élise Lucet. Its president, Jérémie Patrier-Leitus, aims for a more serene framework after initial tensions. This issue fits into broader debates on media pluralism and neutrality in France.
The parliamentary inquiry commission on public audiovisual, launched to examine its functioning, missions, financing, pluralism, and impartiality of information, resumes hearings on Monday, January 19, 2026. After an initial round of hearings marked by controversies and a recadrage meeting early January with the bureau present, President Jérémie Patrier-Leitus (Horizons) insists on proceeding « in a dignified, serious, and respectful framework ». He temporarily suspended summons but upholds the initiative's legitimacy to enlighten public debate.
Among the expected personalities are Léa Salamé, Rachida Dati, and Élise Lucet, deemed « awaited » by many French people. Patrier-Leitus emphasizes attachment to public audiovisual while rejecting any censorship. This context broadens to wider tensions in the French media landscape, such as debates on media neutrality and public service privatization, discussed in a recent interview between Patrick Cohen (France Inter, France 5) and Mathieu Bock-Côté (CNews, Le Figaro). Cohen notes that journalists have lost their monopoly on information due to the internet and social networks, upending past verticality.
Meanwhile, impatience grows around the États généraux de l'information initiated by Emmanuel Macron in 2022 to safeguard free and pluralistic information. Fifteen months after the 2024 report, the draft law, reviewed by the Council of State in November 2025, is due for presentation to the Council of Ministers by late January or early February 2026. It will address trust, independence, economic models, and media pluralism. Elsa Da Costa from the NGO Ashoka France expresses disappointment over the delay, as the media situation deteriorates, affecting the economy and democracy.
