Emmanuel Macron's campaign promise before his re-election as President of the Republic, the TV license fee - the main source of funding for public broadcasting - must be abolished this year.
"Abolish the fee in the name of purchasing power threatens the existence of public broadcasting", write the four unions of France.tv, in a joint press release.
"It is precarious and impoverishing the public audiovisual sector by tilting it on the general budget of the State, therefore arbitration and incessant political pressure", they add.
They claim in particular "the establishment of a universal tax allocated to public broadcasting inspired by the German model and whose yield would be at least equivalent to the current amount of the royalty, compensation for exemptions included".
Created in 1933 (at the time it concerned radio sets), the license fee is the main source of funding for France Télévisions, Radio France, Arte, France Médias Monde (France 24 and RFI), TV5 Monde and the Institut national audiovisual (Ina).
Amounting to 138 euros in mainland France and 88 euros overseas, it only concerns households that have a television: the others do not pay it, even if they watch programs on a computer, tablet or smartphone.
This resource has become all the more strategic since the removal of advertising in the evening and then in children's programs on public service channels.
© 2022 AFP