"Providing the French people with high-quality, pluralistic, balanced, and reliable information is essential"
Politique & Société
Rodolphe Belmer is not one to speak often. The CEO of the TF1 Group joined us under the press room canopy after his appearance on the panel “Sovereignty: Competition or Monopoly, Which Path Should We Choose?”, alongside former Prime Minister Jean Castex, now CEO of SNCF. At a time when social media platforms are increasingly spreading “alternative truths,” he emphasises the essential role that TF1, as France’s leading broadcaster, must play in providing reliable information for the widest possible audience. It is a demanding commitment, one that comes at a cost, but which he sees as one of the conditions for a healthy democracy.
In the face of American and Chinese giants, fragmented markets can appear to be a weakness. In some sectors, critical mass, network effects, financial strength, and technological expertise seem to favour dominant companies capable of investing heavily, innovating quickly, and setting industry standards. In your view, should economic sovereignty be built around smaller players, or has critical size become a condition for survival?
Rodolphe Belmer: The answer depends on the economic sector, but in our business, critical size is absolutely decisive. It dictates the amount of investment in programs, and these investments directly influence whether programmes succeed with the general public. A well-funded programme has a much better chance of reaching its audience. To remain relevant, attract viewers, and meet the population’s expectations, scale is therefore essential.
At what point does concentration become a strategic advantage rather than a threat to competition?
R. B.: In practice, the State manages these situations through regulation. We observe a monopoly/regulation pairing or, conversely, head-on competition. However, highly concentrated sectors do not necessarily harm public services or increase prices, provided that regulation is effective.
Should we accept dominant, or even quasi-monopolistic, positions if they allow companies to invest faster and on a larger scale?
R. B.: Some sectors have operated this way for a very long time, such as space launchers, where scale effects are considerable for financing research and fixed costs. The state therefore accepts monopolies, often local ones, which remain competitive on a global scale. This is because today’s reality for almost all large French companies and cutting-edge sectors is that competition is global, dominated by American and Chinese players. Yet, competition rules and the definition of relevant markets remain local, which creates a mismatch. In this context, it is indispensable to have European players of comparable size un order to continue providing services to our citizens.
In your sector, what does the French cultural exception represent in the face of players such azs Netflix?
R. B.: The cultural exception is based on a simple principle: broadcasters finance French creation and make it accessible to the French public. This model has enabled France to build one of the most dynamic audiovisual industries in the world. We have even successfully integrated players like Netflix, Disney, or Amazon Prime, which now contribute to the financing and distribution of French works, adding to the vitality and international influence of French creative industries. However, other players like YouTube or Meta do not participate in this effort, creating a significant competitive imbalance, particularly in the advertising market.
Should the media be subject to the same rules as other industries, or does their democratic role justify special treatment?
R. B.: The social role of major media, particularly those that produce information in a democracy, is undeniable. One should not underestimate the value of a player like ours, which is also capable of offering quality entertainment for free across the entire country. This type of content also contributes to the collective bond: it fosters a common culture, sparks shared emotions, and contributes, in its own way, to national cohesion. That being said, news remains central. Providing the French people with quality, pluralistic, balanced, and reliable information is absolutely essential. The vitality of our media ecosystem dictates both the vitality of our cultural ecosystem and that of our democracy. However, we are currently seeing a marked weakening of the print press, which has become marginal in providing access to information for a large part of the population. In this context, it is crucial that major audiovisual media organisations, which play a structuring role, are able to continue thriving in the future. This requires a fairer regulatory framework, particularly in relation to major international platforms. Public authorities have a responsibility here: to restore a level playing field between domestic players and major American groups.
In this landscape dominated by platforms, should traditional media organisations consolidate?
R. B.: Yes, absolutely. Our strategy is built around four pillars.
The first is innovation: we are investing heavily in digital platforms to establish ourselves sustainably in the ways audiences consume content and capture a significant share of their media usage.
The second concerns regulatory asymmetries. It is essential that the state removes the obstacles affecting our competitiveness compared with major American platforms by introducing, at the very least, a principle of regulatory symmetry. Personally, I believe we should receive preferential treatment. Otherwise, we operate within a structurally unbalanced environment.
Third, we must also achieve economies of scale comparable to those created by the globalisation of media. To do so, we must rely on a market that is relevant to us: the French-speaking world. The international expansion of TF1+ across this space aims to create a major free platform for entertainment and information, capable of expanding our audience, improving the profitability of our content, and ultimately strengthening our investment capacity.
Finally, there is the issue of consolidation. The French media landscape must be structured around a clear industrial logic: a strengthened public sector centred around France Télévisions; a paid subscription sector centred around Canal+; and a consolidated free-to-air sector centred around the TF1 Group.
This structure is essential to generate economies of scale, accelerate digital transformation, continue investing in content, and compete more effectively with the technological intermediaries that also distribute our programmes.
What role can a leader like TF1 play in strengthening citizens’ trust in information, in the face of fake news, manipulation, and foreign interference?
R. B.: I am acutely aware of our role, mission, and responsibility regarding information, and more broadly, the proper functioning of democracy. We are obviously not the only ones contributing to it, but we fully accept our share of responsibility.Concretely, this translates into a strong commitment: investing heavily in high-quality information that is freely accessible throughout France and distributed across all available channels. My objective is to provide French citizens with reliable, pluralistic, neutral, and trustworthy information capable of serving as a reference point.
This commitment requires significant resources. The TF1 Group mobilizes around 700 employees within the news division, including 550 journalists, and dedicates nearly 150 million euros per year to it. Furthermore, we are massively strengthening our presence on social media, with nearly 25 million subscribers for our TF1 Info brand—including 7.5 million on TikTok—to fight the problem of misinformation where it spreads most widely and in a sustained manner. This is the price we must pay to guarantee rigorous news that serve everyone. I also believe we have a special role to play during major democratic moments. This is why we welcome all presidential election candidates, so they can address the French public directly within a clear, fair, and accessible setting.
How can you convince people that information is trustworthy? Is simply claiming to be a reliable media organisation enough in a world producing more and more ‘alternative truths’?
R. B.: No, simply claiming to be a trusted media outlet is not enough. Trust cannot be declared; it is built. It is earned day after day by producing complete, rigorous, and quality information. The French people demonstrate this first through their choices. TF1’s news programmes are very widely followed: the 13 Heures (1 p.m. news) remains, by far, the most-watched midday news show; the 20 Heures (8 p.m. news) maintains a clear lead over its main competitor; and our new morning news show, Bonjour!, has quickly established itself in the audiovisual landscape. They also demonstrate their trust though surveys measuring confidence in different media organizations. TF1 rznks among the media outlets that French citizens trust the most. This is a responsibility that binds us. Our ambition is to produce neutral, impartial, and trustworthy information, with a single priority: to serve the French people.