NJJ, the personal holding company of businessman Xavier Niel, has improved its takeover offer from France-Antilles , the only daily newspaper in Martinique, Guadeloupe and Guyana, by offering to keep 126 of the 235 employees, against 114 in its first offer, we learned this Friday from the administrator.
NJJ had filed a first offer March 3 before the mixed commercial court of Fort-de-France, but the court had fixed until midnight Thursday to improve the social aspect of the offer. The commercial court must render its decision on a possible resumption on March 10 at 2 p.m. (7 p.m. in Paris).
Created in March 1964, France-Antilles , former subsidiary of the Hersant group, was in receivership since June 25, 2019. Put into liquidation at the end of January, the newspaper stopped publishing since February 1 and France-Guyana since February 25.
THANK YOU once again from the bottom of my heart! 😍😍😍 Since Saturday, you are dozens and dozens coming to France-Antilles to buy the latest France-Antilles and our special or historical issues.
You cannot imagine the strength and comfort that you give us. THANK YOU
Reserved employees
Xavier Niel had announced his intentions to take over the three editions of the daily newspaper after the deadline. But on February 20, the commercial court had exceptionally decided to extend the extension of the group's activity until March 10, in order to allow the founder of Free and co-shareholder of Le Monde , which has just bought Nice-Matin , to make an offer.
According to the new information communicated, NJJ undertakes to take on 68 employees from France-Antilles Guadeloupe (out of 96), 34 employees from France-Antilles Martinique (out of 83), 6 employees from France-Guyana (out of 23), and 16 31 employees of France-Antilles Guyane Management services (administrative and web part).
Tuesday, the employees of France-Antilles Guadeloupe had expressed their reservations, with Guadeloupe 1st, deeming the offer of the businessman insufficient and the human resources inconsistent compared to the budget announced.
State aid
NJJ plans to keep a daily edition of the paper edition, but may reduce its pagination. It also wishes to strengthen the digital offer of the newspaper, but also to develop the group's event activity, through the organization of festivals or concerts.
The project is estimated at 8 million euros. NJJ puts on the table 3.5 million, the rest coming from public funding (subsidies from the Ministry of Culture and "local authorities of Guadeloupe and Martinique") and a loan from the Economic and Social Development Fund.
In the West Indies, the NJJ Company plans to centralize printing in Guadeloupe and the transport of newspapers by boat or plane to Martinique. For Guyana, outsourcing of printing and distribution is envisaged, but the offer would only be digital at first. NJJ aims to resume publication in April.
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"France-Antilles": Employees worry about their future as their latest issue comes out
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