French-speaking public broadcaster RTBF aims to cut its budget by 12% by 2028, reducing it by €55 million per year, under a plan approved on Friday by its board of directors.
This is to be achieved through €4.1 million in additional revenue and €22 million in cost reductions through optimisation, efficiency measures, and targeted editorial adjustments.
Another €22 million will be saved by not replacing departing staff and implementing a new plan for voluntary early retirement, with no compulsory redundancies planned. Postponing certain investments will free up an additional €5.5 million.
These adjustments follow the decision by the Government of the French Community not to index public funding.
The implementation of these measures now falls to the management, who are also responsible for internal communication and necessary social dialogue.
In the coming months, a strategic reorientation note will be presented, outlining actions to adapt to the changing media landscape and meet the goals outlined in the government declaration.
Jacqueline Galant, Minister in charge of Media, expressed satisfaction with the RTBF’s initial steps towards returning to its core mission.
“The board’s decision confirms what I have been saying for months,” she commented. “It is possible to make responsible budgetary choices without compromising the fundamental missions of the public broadcaster.”
