Analysis: Could License Fee Strife In France & The UK Spell The Beginning Of The End For Europe’s $36B Public Broadcasting Sector?

deadline.com:

The funding model that has been the bedrock of Europe’s €35.5B ($36.3B) public broadcasting sector for decades is under threat, and the industry is gravely concerned.

Last week, legislation was introduced in the French parliament that will do away with the license fee, dramatically shifting the way in which the nation’s public broadcasters (PSB) are funded and leading to potential government meddling and instability.

In Britain, the 100-yer-old funding model is under review from a Conservative government that is no friend to PSB and, arguably, is ideologically opposed to it.

Noel Curran, Director General of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and former Director General of Irish pubcaster RTÉ, warned of a domino effect on smaller nations’ PSBs if powerhouses like the UK and France see their funding models weakened, which could threaten the very existence of public broadcasting in Europe.