Being The Boss Is No Picnic

Michael Hedges May 8, 2014 Follow on Twitter

Change agents get lots of attention but very little respect. Called to do things nobody else wants to do, they endure slings and arrows from organizations they’re sent to fix. This is because nobody likes change except the investors. And dealing with them takes courage.

Citing “an overall loss of confidence” in executive editor Natalie Nougayrède, seven editors and deputy editors at major French daily Le Monde resigned en masse this week (May 6). The disgruntled group said they’d stick around, however, until new editors are named. Fifteen months ago the editorial staff elected Mme Nougayrède the first woman to hold an executive position at Le Monde on the sudden death of editor Erik Izraelewicz. She’d previously been the newspaper’s chief international correspondent, a specialist in Russia and Ukraine.

“For several months, we sent many messages to report major problems as well as a lack of trust in and communication with the editorial management preventing us from fulfilling our roles as chief editors,” said the group in an internal memo relayed to Les Echos (May 6) and most other French media outlets. “We have realized that we are no longer able to assume the tasks entrusted to us, and that's why we are resigning from our respective posts.”

Unions representing print and web editorial workers, united in the cause, called for “a real turnaround at the top,” undersigning the editor’s resignation letter. “It’s high time to set up a collective and functional management and that those who do the work are really heard.” Editorial operations are strictly separated from ownership, not unique to Le Monde or, for that matter, French newspapers. The drama part is definitely French.

Mme Nougayrède is “very difficult to talk to,” said an anonymous Le Monde staffer to AFP (May 7). “We never know what is going on. After a year and a half, it’s not working out.” Clearly the editorial staff, which overwhelmingly endorsed her nomination, expected a bit more status quo and the owners wanted a change agent.

Le Monde was in deep financial difficulty until a trio of well-heeled investors – Yves Saint Laurent Group partner Pierre Berge, internet billionaire Xavier Niel and Lazard banker Matthieu Pigasse – acquired financial control with a €110 million cash injection in 2010. M. Niel, founder of French ISP Iliad, reportedly killed the launch of Le Monde’s tablet edition. M. Pigasse was named to the British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) board in 2011. The Berge-Niel-Pigasse trio forced out Le Monde publisher Eric Fottorino, replacing him with past Nouvel Observateur and Libération managing director Louis Dreyfus.

Impatience of the financial partners surfaced a few months ago as M. Bergé, at a board meeting, told Mme Nougayrède and M. Dreyfus to “have courage. There is no other solution.” In March the trio acquired a majority stake in Nouvel Observateur. Shortly thereafter M. Pigasse, to Canal+ (March 23), said if long-suffering newspaper Libération came up for sale they would “be there.”

Like every newspaper, indeed, every traditional media outlet, Le Monde has been challenged by digital transition. In February Mme Nougayrède with the support of chief executive Louis Dreyfus announced a major shuffling of editorial positions from the print side to the web side, the intent to further merging the two quite separate operations. Contracts for digital employees are set to expire at the end of June and will not be renewed, noted AFP (May 7).

The major organizational and editorial revamp has been pushed back to the end of September, indicated an internal email from M. Dreyfus sent several hours after the editor’s revolt and obtained by AFP. “It is important that Le Monde continues the recovery that began three years ago,” he said. “However, this adjustment and, more generally, this collective ambition go hand-in-hand with a real group effort and reciprocal listening.”

See also in ftm Knowledge

Media in France

French audiences are moving fast to every new platform. Mobile and Web media challenges the old guard while rule makers seek new directions. Media life in France... and a few secrets. includes updated Resources 147 pages PDF (November 2011)

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