ATa Sunday newspaperthe next few days will look like those that have just passed: strike renewed by an overwhelming majority (still 96% Thursday July 6), edition absent from newsstands Sunday July 9, worried general assemblies and more or less sterile meetings. “We continue to ask for the departure of Geoffroy Lejeune”summarizes a member of the united editorial staff in his opposition to the arrival of the former managing editor of Current values at the head of theirs.
Not only does Mr. Lejeune’s political convictions seem to go “against history and identity” of the newspaper, but at a time when many strikers are beginning to fear the loss of salary that awaits them, the economic risk that this appointment poses to the newspaper seems absurd to them.
According to several sources, the advertising department of Lagardère News has endeavored to anticipate the financial damage which threatens The Sunday newspaper for the year 2024. According to the established projections, the turnover related to advertising (8 million euros expected in 2023) would be down by 60%, and that of distribution by 70%.
A “too divisive” personality
Banks, mass distribution, the luxury sector, but also culture and leisure, the four sectors most represented in the newspaper’s ads, would find the personality of Geoffroy Lejeune “too divisive”. “We do not validate the forecasts stated, refutes, however, Marie Renoir, the president of the board. It is premature to communicate on figures. »
As of last week, the Lagardère group committee (which includes media, publishing and travel retail) had estimated that the arrival of Geoffroy Lejeune could “lead to a drop in attractiveness, activity and margins”at point “put the group at an undeniable risk”. Arnaud Lagardère, who takes responsibility for this appointment, had defended before the employees “an economic choice, not at all ideological”.
In general, the political coloring of the media that have fallen into the bosom of the Bolloré family is not synonymous with profitability. According to an accounting audit carried out for the Vivendi group committee concerning the Canal+ channels and revealed by The letter a, these would all be loss-making, with the exception of the musical C Star. Cyril Hanouna’s C8 channel would have lost 28 million euros in 2022 (for a turnover of 95 million), and CNews, 4 million euros (for 44 million in turnover).
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