Delphine Ernotte was reappointed Wednesday July 22 for a five-year term as President of France Televisions by the Superior Audiovisual Council (CSA), a first in the history of the public audiovisual group at the head of which no leader is had never been re-elected.

Coming from the telecoms world, Delphine Ernotte [who was CEO of Orange France from 2011 to 2015] had already been the first woman appointed to head France Télévisions in 2015, to succeed Rémy Pflimlin.

"The choice of the Council was based, in accordance with the terms of the law, on criteria of competence and experience and on the analysis of strategic projects informed by the hearings", indicates the CSA - which auditioned eight candidates - in its decision released Wednesday.

A "desire to address all French people"

"The Council has chosen to continue the transformations initiated to ensure, in dialogue, consultation and respect for budgetary balances, the adaptation of France Televisions to a rapidly changing environment", continues the CSA.

"It was also based on the commitments made in editorial matters to enhance the place of creation, develop the cultural and educational offer, renew links with young people and provide reference information," he adds.

"He took note of the desire to address all French people and represent them in the richness of their diversity, taking into account all the territories, and to form teams based on a principle of parity and Finally, it took into account the stated orientation of fully registering France Télévisions in the digital world and in the European concert ", concludes the Council.

Eight admissible applications 

For this new mandate, the CSA had received twelve applications, eight of which had been deemed admissible: that of Delphine Ernotte, that of Christopher Baldelli, former boss of RTL who also directed France 2 from 2002 to 2005, that of Serge Cimino and Michel Goldstein, both journalists at France Télévisions.

Among them were also the candidacies of Pierre-Étienne Pommier, digital advisor of The Republic on the march to the Assembly (LREM), that of Jean-Paul Philippot, head of the Belgian audiovisual group RTBF, that also of Serge Schick, ex- Director of Strategy for Radio France and Sandrine Roustan, who works for the second largest Chinese media group, Shanghai Media, and has worked with M6 and France 4.

The eight candidates had been auditioned Monday and Tuesday. 

With AFP

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