Peak time ads dropped from TV

ADVERTISING was banished from TV screens on the public channels last night.

The public France Télévisions channels can no longer broadcast adverts between 20.00 and 6.00 – a measure that was announced by President Sarkozy a year ago.

One result is that programming has been brought forward – for example prime time viewing now starts at 20.35 on France 2 and France 3 instead of 20.50.

As for the biggest privately-owned channels (not affected by the change of rules) TF1 has not made any corresponding changes so far, but has not ruled them out, while M6 has moved its prime time period forward by ten minutes to start at 20.45.

The advertising ban was to be part of a new broadcasting law, but was pushed through in a direct agreement between the president and France Télévisions.

One third of staff at the broadcaster went on strike yesterday in protest at the move.

Staff protest at laws to reform public broadcasting
Photo:AFP/Bertrand Guay