Controversial change of management at France Télévisions
A controversial leadership change is taking place at France Télévisions, the French public broadcaster. On Monday, President Nicolas Sarkozy nominated Rémy Pflimlin to succeed Patrick de Carolis, who had clashed fiercely with Sarkozy in 2008 and had since been considered «past his prime.» He had publicly described a comment Sarkozy made about the network’s programming as «wrong, stupid, and deeply unfair.».
His successor Pflimlin was already Director General of the TV channel France 3. Most recently, the 56-year-old organized the recapitalization of the national press distributor Presstalis. Sarkozy's appointment of the head of France Télévisions had been heavily criticized in the past. In a recent manifesto, 100 personalities from the worlds of film, television and politics protested against the move, saying that it jeopardized independence and represented an intolerable step backwards. Among them were former Prime Ministers Lionel Jospin and Dominique de Villepin as well as former Culture Minister Jack Lang.
Pflimlin has a difficult task ahead of him. He must position the state TV holding company in the dispute over the advertising ban that has already been decided. He will also decide on the privatization of the subsidiary France Télévisions Publicité, which is active in the advertising sector. The "Pflimlin" personnel decision still has to be confirmed by the supervisory body CSA and the two chambers of parliament. "Who will seriously dare to oppose the will of the president?" reads the manifesto entitled "Liberate public broadcasting".
Pflimlin has a difficult task ahead of him. He must position the state TV holding company in the dispute over the advertising ban that has already been decided. He will also decide on the privatization of the subsidiary France Télévisions Publicité, which is active in the advertising sector. The "Pflimlin" personnel decision still has to be confirmed by the supervisory body CSA and the two chambers of parliament. "Who will seriously dare to oppose the will of the president?" reads the manifesto entitled "Liberate public broadcasting".
