On 1 April 2015, the Cour des comptes issued a public report devoted to Radio France : the reasons for a crisis, avenues for reform, a joint stock company wholly owned by the state, 90% of whose turnover – €641 million in 2013 – comes from the public audiovisual contribution, namely the licence fee. Between 2006 and 2013, Radio France kept its audience share at about 25%. Its programmes are appreciated for their quality. Their cultural content, like the professionalism of its news programmes, is undisputed. The Cour’s report focuses on the conditions under which Radio France implements its tasks, particularly at the financial level. It examines the use of public funds made available to the company, the quality of its management and its capacity for development. This report, which stems mainly from the audit of the company over the financial years 2004 to 2013, is also based on comparisons with foreign public-service radio stations which have undergone profound transformation over the last few years (the BBC in the United Kingdom, DR in Denmark and RTBF in Belgium). After its investigations, the Cour found that the company is now confronted with a critical financial situation while at the same time having to cope with major challenges. These circumstances require Radio France to implement an overall strategy for change in order to profoundly reform its scope of activities and its management of operations.
