The daily, which continues to lose money, should change its steering structure in order to strengthen the independence of its writing.
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“Left daily born under Sartrian star is looking for 14 million euros to continue a press adventure, and web if affinities.” This could be denominated the little announcement that Denis Olivennes would write for publication in Liberation for the benefit of the newspaper that he leads. Since his appointment to the Directorate General of the Daily, in June 2020, the former boss of Fnac and Canal+ has the priority occupation of finding money to keep it afloat.
When it arrives, the Altice group had just disengaged from everyday life in order to place it in an endowment fund. Even if Patrick Drahi had assured that he would accompany Liberation for the time necessary for his financial recovery, the businessman is slow to give the pot. “He has not yet given his answer, he is still thinking, explains a source close to management. He has already left 100 million since 2014, he would not be against the fact that we find someone else . “
Getting your hands on a co-investor is not easy. Not because the political positioning of the newspaper would be “too melenchonic”, according to comments loaned to Denis Olivennes by letter A, and that the Liberation Cogerant denied on his Twitter account Thursday, July 7. What would put any new partners again, suggests our interlocutor is “to invest without having his say” on the journal of the newspaper and its editorial line because of its legal structure.
Accusing an operating loss of 7.9 million euros in 2021, against 12 million in 2020, the newspaper founded by Serge July has not yet been released. But with a paid France distribution of 94,600 copies (in May), sales have observed a positive dynamic for three years. “At 220 journalists, the workforce has increased by 10 %,” said the same manager. “The editorial staff is super mobilized and the results follow, assures a journalist. We just need means to continue our way.”
While waiting to find the providential patron, the ruling structures are preparing to evolve. When the Supervisory Board is agreed, Denis Olivennes, who will present a literary program on the Senate public channel at the start of the school year, will retain the title of president of the Independent Press Holding SAS, and will leave cogerance to Amandine Bascoul-Romeu, currently director digital operations. A way of consolidating “the Chinese wall” between the manager and the editorial staff, with sometimes very opposite convictions. Dov Alfon remains editorial director.