This, from the linked article, is quite interesting:

"A much-touted plan by Sarkozy to ban advertising on French public television meanwhile was approved by the broadcaster's board of directors, circumventing a parliament filibuster by the opposition.....Public radio and television staff have staged protests and a strike against the reform, which they see as a threat to the independence of public broadcasting, although Sarkozy insists it will help boost programme quality."

---

Banning advertising? Sounds bloody excellent to me. Advertising is nothing more than the rich begging from the poor by distorting peoples' realities.

Advertising is one form of propaganda but sponsors messages are often put across in other ways as well. From State dictation of issues raised in The Archers and product placements through to the political agenda of the media being subject to direction by power. How would the French media be funded? I don't expect Sarko is proposing workers control, free exchange or an economy based on need. There's a lot of advertising on the BBC.