"And what is your prognosis?" How many times have we heard this question, both in the corridors of France Televisions and during lunches between hosts and producers? In the absence of an active transfer window, the presidency of the public group is THE subject that interests the entire PAF. All the more since the postponement of the audiovisual law reform project, which brings the next mandate to the head of the public service to five years instead of the 2 years initially planned. Applicants had until Friday July 10 to submit their applications. This Wednesday, the CSA revealed the names of the eight contenders for the title, among twelve files submitted. Before scheduled hearings from Monday July 20 and a final vote by July 24.
Delphine Ernotte-Cunci, the favorite
"I am a candidate for the extension of my contract". This sentence, Delphine Ernotte-Cunci (53) announced it six months ago, during the vows to the employees of France Télévisions. Everyone in their camp holds their breath.
Assets: launch of the Franceinfo channel, increased feminization and diversity on the air, preparation of the Salto platform with TF1 and M 6 before it goes into orbit in the coming months or even an increase in audience ratings for France 2 afternoons (source of advertising revenue) and the rights of the 2024 Olympic Games. The Superior Audiovisual Council moreover found its balance sheet quite satisfactory in February.
Weaknesses: no term of president of France Télévisions has been renewed. And some Elysée advisers regularly slip banana peels on him.
Christopher Baldelli, the challenger
Her name had been coming back for several weeks. In all discretion, Christopher Baldelli (55) built his team with number 2 Yves Bigot (past entertainment from France 2 to the management of TV5 Monde, with a catch by RTBF). Baldelli also consulted several star animators, such as Michel Drucker or Thierry Ardisson. This time, it's official: the former boss of RTL, from 2009 to 2019, is a serious competitor for Delphine Ernotte-Cunci.
Strengths: he knows the challenges of the group well, having directed France 2 from 2002 to 2005, before joining Paris Première. It is also close to star entertainers. It was he who hired Laurent Ruquier from Europe 1 to replace Philippe Bouvard on RTL. A risky, but winning bet.
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Weaknesses: he has been labeled on the right since he was an adviser to the ministerial cabinets of Nicolas Sarkozy and Alain Juppé in the 1990s. He was also the one who installed Eric Zemmour on the RTL antenna despite internal reservations. A man, Bruno Patino, has just been appointed president of Arte in place of a woman, Véronique Cayla. The same scenario at France Télévisions could be frowned upon.
Jean-Paul Philippot, the Belgian counterpart
Since 2002, the 60-year-old man has been head of RTBF, Belgian public broadcasting. Longevity that France Télévisions lacks.
Strengths: in 2019, his group posted a surplus of 29 million euros, of which 13.4 euros should be reinvested for the revival of the cultural industries of French-speaking Belgium hit by the Covid-19 crisis. Chaired the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Weakness: he renewed his mandate at the head of RTBF in ... February.
Pierre-Etienne Pommier, the outsider
"Candidate for the presidency of France Televisions to put the screens at the service of the public ...", presented the digital advisor of the LREM group to the National Assembly, on Twitter. This 49-year-old former producer of educational videos (via the company Pythagora) has joined forces with Catherine Smadja, who supervised for the Ministry of Culture “consultation around the modernized and reinforced public audiovisual service for everyone in a digital world. " Their project is entitled "The screens that connect us".
With @CatherineSmadja we want a transparent @franceTV on its costs, its successes, and its failures. France Télévisions belongs to all French people and owes them accounts #LesEcransQuiNousRelient pic.twitter.com/sAotmhhWSj
- Pierre-Etienne Pommier (@pepommier) July 15, 2020Strengths: wishes to support education, culture and French creation, particularly in terms of games and entertainment. Advocates gender parity "wherever possible", with a "goal counted".
Weaknesses: never managed chains or big companies in his career. Created on April 2, his blog was not a place of exchange as he hoped.
Sandrine Roustan, the expatriate
She was general manager of France 4 programs from 2012 to 2013 before being thanked by Rémy Pflimlin's team. Since then, she joined the Chinese audiovisual group Shanghai Media, as director of international format development.
Asset: received the title of "Knight of the Legion of Honor" by presidential decree of January 1, 2020.
Weakness: France 4, which she directed, is on borrowed time.
And the others…
Serge Schick, the revenge
Departing from Radio France, this former director of audience strategy and round house brand development wants to relaunch his career. He worked at France Télévisions from 1994 to 2000, in charge of the strategic plan before co-founding the thematic channels Histoire and Mezzo.
Serge Cimino, the claimant
He is a political journalist at France Télévisions and representative of the SNJ union. He had already appeared in 2015 to denounce, at the time, "brutal management" in "a burn-out factory". Its objective: to influence the final result.
Michel Goldstein, the sniper
He formalized his candidacy for AFP on Saturday and announced the publication of a book entitled "A screen in advance", published by UpprEditions. A former professional footballer, Michel Goldstein is now known to viewers as a commentator in the sports department of France Télévisions. In 2018, he was already positioned for the presidency of France Médias Monde (France 24, Radio France International).
