In the United Kingdom, the debate revolves around the amount of the audiovisual license fee. This annual tax currently amounts to 181 euros per household. It will not move until next year as Boris Johnson’s government had decided to freeze it until 2024. In a country where inflation exceeds 13% in a year, this greatly complicates the life of public broadcasting managers. A rise would fall very badly on public opinion.

Among conservatives, some demand the total abolition of this tax in favor of public broadcasting. There “bee” as it is called here, is regularly criticized by the current majority.

The 100 year old BBC is struggling financially

The BBC has just cut 382 jobs in its overseas service. He also announced more regional programs for the good of the economy. The BBC justifies these choices by the need to develop its digital offer. YoThe issue of a license fee increase is colossal and political. General elections will be held next year. The current majority, struggling in the polls, seeks to increase its popularity among a population that suffers economically.

The context is different for the Belgian public audiovisual group RTBF

There RTBF Radio-Television of the French Community of Belgium, is now called RTBF BBB to mark its anchorage in new technologies. It effectively reaches its audience despite the dual competition from Belgian private media and French TV channels widely watched throughout the country. If we add Walloons and Brussels, RTBF reached a daily average of two million viewers out of an estimated French-speaking audience of five million. The RTBF is made up of five hertzian radios, including one generalist, one classic, one youth and one local, as well as four web radios and five television channels, with the incorporation of a digital platform called Audio, which gives access to all they offer it largely for free, except to rewatch episodes of series that have already aired, for example.

RTBF remains a reference in terms of information

Although it does not have news channels like franceinfo and although a private news television channel appeared four years ago, RTBF continues to be a reference in terms of information. The 7:30 p.m. newscast, for example, has an audience of close to 26%. There is also a very strong RTBF audience for the sport, particularly the Tour de France and Belgian football. Belgians no longer pay royalties. Drawn from public funds, RTBF benefits from an annual allocation of approximately 300 million euros. Between this and revenue from advertising or in-house productions, RTBF has managed to generate a net positive result for over 17 years. The accounts are green with, for example, 4.5 million euros of positive results in 2021.