Julien Pichené, with Solène Delinger
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10:56 a.m., February 13, 2024
Delphine Ernotte is the target of a complaint from the CFE-CGC union for “embezzlement” following a ten-day trip to Cannes in 2023. The president of France Télévisions and three other leaders of the group then resided in suites including the price could rise up to 1,700 euros.
Delphine Ernotte is the subject of a complaint because of an abnormally high expense report: 112,000 euros for a trip to the 2023 Cannes festival with three other France Télévisions executives. A ten-day trip to the Majestic hotel in Cannes, in suites whose price per day ranges from 1,300 to 1,700 euros!
A complaint for embezzlement and breach of trust
According to the media The letter, which reveals the information, the CFE-CGC union would have filed a complaint against Delphine Ernotte for “embezzlement and breach of trust”. How do we arrive at 112,000 euros when the ceiling is 350 euros per night for the group’s employees? Response from France Télévisions: this Cannes trip would have been financed indirectly by the advertising agency, according to a system which allows unsold advertising space to be exchanged for services. And concerning the two founders of the media Brut, partner of France TV during the Cannes festival, and who were also there? Their stay in Cannes would have cost more than 30,000 euros. France Télévisions claims to have then “reinvoiced” this sum to Gross.
Plaintiffs concerned about legitimacy of spending
“Not one euro of public money was used for these costs,” assures France Télévisions. An explanation which does not visibly convince the complainants, who say they are concerned about the financial management of the group and the legitimacy of the expenses.