Is a newspaper without journalists still worthy of the name? For a long time, the question was incongruous. So much so that the State has never thought of conditioning aid to the press to the employment of editors, publishers or editorial secretaries.
But the Internet and Hurricane Reworld Media, which methodically emptied its many titles from its editorial staff, have been there. Forcing the Ministry of Culture and Communication to decide this fundamental question.
In a few days, the mission entrusted by Minister Roselyne Bachelot to Laurence Franceschini, president of the Joint Committee for Publications and Press Agencies (CPPAP) will deliver its conclusions. Announced on December 24, 2020, it followed the alert launched by journalists from Science & Life, convinced that they will soon no longer be able to properly fulfill their mission to inform. On March 30, nine of the ten editors still in the scientific monthly announced their resignation, destroying one of the last editors still hosted by Reworld Media.
This massacre contrasts with the financial health of the group, also present in digital marketing, training, which generated, in 2020, a turnover of 424 million euros, down 8%, and a gross profit of ‘operating up to € 41.4 million. Reworld Media, founded in 2012 by Pascal Chevalier, who cut his teeth with the webmarketing company Netbooster, and Gautier Normand, former CEO of The gallery, has won, in a few years, for almost nothing, even sometimes by cashing checks, multiple press titles. Present in eleven countries, the group is home to some forty media brands such as Dr Good, Grazia, Marie-France, Auto Plus, Gourmet, Top Health, TV Magazine, etc.
“Knocking down on editorial costs”
Group bosses attribute their success to their ability to “Digitize press titles”. But, in fact, they are making a profit by restructuring with an ax. “Knocking down on editorial costs is the key to Reworld’s economic model”, summarizes Dominique Carlier, the SNJ-CGT union representative.
The editorial staff of Marie-France, acquired from Marie Claire in 2013, eight titles (Auto-Moto, Home & Work…) acquired, in 2014, from Arnaud Lagardère, as well as Media365 (formerly Sporever), were reduced to around 20 people.
You have 64.89% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.