France: La Tribune attacks former owner

Posted by Evan Fell on November 9, 2007 at 10:33 AM

The staff of La Tribune, a French business daily, used the headline “The economic press in danger” on its front page to express discontent with owner Bernard Arnault, the chief executive and chairman of luxury group LVMH.

This is the second time in less than three weeks that the journalists have created a headline addressing Arnault on the front page.

The headline comes just two days after LVMH bought Les Echos, the competition of La Tribune. LVMH was forced to sell La Tribune in order to to own Les Echos in order to abide by competition rules, which is intolerable to journalists at La Tribune.

On the front page the journalists of La Tribune wrote that Mr. Arnault must "ensure the future and independence of La Tribune." The staff feels that prospective future owners are weak and that "these offers do not provide enough editorial, social and economic guarantees."

However, La Tribune has now been sold to Alain Weill, president of NextRadioTVm who says as of now he will not be making any layoffs.

Source: Guardian Unlimited
Le Figaro

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