“In populist regimes, freedom [of the press] is a threat. So they try to get hold of public services in different ways. In Italy, they appoint managers […] In the Czech Republic, they cut funding,” said Ernotte, referring to allegations of political interference at Italian state broadcaster RAI and Prague’s effort to scrap public broadcasting license fees.
But while speaking to POLITICO from a pristine, all-glass meeting room overlooking the Seine at her network’s headquarters, Ernotte said her focus is on positioning France TV for future success regardless of who occupies the Elysée Palace when President Emmanuel Macron’s term expires next year.
“My job isn’t political. It’s to get this independent firm up and running while respecting all political views, from the far right to the far left,” said Ernotte.
The veteran telecommunications executive took the reins of France TV in 2015, turning the state-controlled broadcaster into a multi-platform behemoth boasting 45 million monthly unique visitors across television and streaming. The media giant has a good track record of developing hits like “Dix pour cent” (known as “Call My Agent” in English), and Ernotte boasts that its legacy evening news broadcast is the most trusted of its kind.
But France TV is locked in an increasingly difficult fight for eyeballs with both private legacy media companies and a new generation of streamers.
And, like many of its audiovisual peers, France TV has struggled to keep its finances in check while navigating a rapidly changing media landscape. A report by France’s top public auditors last year said the company’s economic model was “unsustainable in the long term.”