Press Release: State aid: Commission approves EUR 150 million capital injection for France Télévisions

The European Commission approved a EUR 150 million capital injection for the French public-television holding company, France Télévisions. The measure aims to enable the public channels to fulfil their general-interest mission in 2008 by offsetting the reduction in commercial revenues that followed the announcement that advertising would eventually be banned on such channels. The Commission took the view that the capital injection was justified given the net costs that these specific missions involve and the French authorities' commitments regarding control of the funds. This decision is unrelated to current discussions on possible new types of public financing for France Télévisions, which will have to be notified at a later date to the Commission.