State-controlled television

The daily Le Monde criticises Nicolas Sarkozy's reform plans for public broadcasters: "In a month's time, if the reform currently under discussion in parliament is adopted, public broadcasters will come under the control of the executive - and above all the control of its chief responsible person, Nicolas Sarkozy. ... Firstly, the Council of Ministers will appoint the bosses of France Télévision und Radio France and also dismiss them. ... Secondly the channels will be entirely under the direct control of the state budget. This will be achieved by getting rid of advertising and what is already one of Europe's lowest TV license fees. Hastily patched together, this reform is a bad idea: It will lead to tight control of public broadcasters, and also strengthen the private broadcasters whose bosses, as everyone knows, are close friends of the president."

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