France: La Tribune to evolve into financial news agency?

Posted by Jean Yves Chainon on November 13, 2007 at 11:31 AM

Alain Weill, CEO of NextRadioTV, currently in exclusive negotiations with LVMH to acquire business paper La Tribune, said he wanted to “innovate,” and mentioned the possibility of turning it into a kind of “specialized press agency.”

On the other hand, he also said he didn’t envision any drastic changes. “The newspaper will stay as it is,” said Weill.

“We must find a universe where we’re recognized as being the best,” he added, suggesting that the paper may target a new market (since Les Echos has clearly become the French leader in business news).

He also mentioned he doesn’t plan on making the paper free, and that he doesn’t want to cut costs through layoffs. The website will remain independent, and won’t be merged into NextRadioTV’s online portal.

But Weill is considering the creation of a “specialized press agency or a business-oriented grouping.”

Weill has a big task ahead of him, for a paper that loses €15 million per year.

Source: Voila.fr (link in French) through IFRA Executive News Service