7 In 2007 the average hearing of TF1 fell to 27

The next arrival of Axel Duroux to the position of number two of TF1 remains decidedly across the throat of the leaders of M6. According to our information released yesterday by Lesechos.fr, presided over by Nicolas de Tavernost chain prepares in the days to come, to initiate a procedure against the former President of RTL. Grievances of this procedure have yet been arrested, but counsel for the group are working actively on the folder. The Group also considers the possibility of a procedure against TF1, the new employer of Axel Duroux.

This is not the fact that Axel Duroux occupied the Presidency of RTL which is a problem to M6, even if TF1 has ambitions in radio, as shown the recent launch of LCI Radio. It is especially Axel Duroux was a member of the Supervisory Board of M6 until the announcement of his departure for TF1 early in the week. He was appointed in February 2007 and its mandate would normally expire in 2012. As such, as all the other directors of the group, he knows most of the trade secrets of the Six: its long-term strategy, finances and, what is even more problematic, its plans for emissions for the re-entry of M6 being finalized grid. As much strategic information, in the eyes of TF1, worth of gold. On the front of the hearing, the Six, running course from below, until then, rather better withstood competition from chains of the TNT, is now around 11, while that of the one that dips. 30.7 In 2007, the average hearing of TF1 fell to 27.2 last year and erosion continues. In the first quarter, the advertising revenue of the M6 chain declined 11 against 27 for the.

Confidential information

For M6, there is conflict of interest, or even "unfair competition": the chain blames including Axel Duroux for having conducted negotiations with TF1 for transfer and while he was still the M6 group administrator he had access to confidential information. Another possible area of conflict of interest: Axel Duroux participated in the governing bodies of the RTL Group as a member of the "operational management", in the same way as Nicolas de Tavernost. He therefore had first hand information on the audiovisual strategy for Bertelsmann subsidiary at European level, RTL Group being the first group of free television in Europe. Contacted by "Les echos", TF1 did not want yesterday to comment on the procedure that is poised to launch M6. Axel Duroux was not reachable.

TF1, Axel Duroux will in any case great latitude to exercise its audiovisual since expertise according to the release of the group, will it "assist Nonce Paolini in all his missions and in all its social, strategic and operational responsibilities". According to the CEO of M6 close source, it is precisely the very broad scope of the responsibilities that will be assigned to Axel Duroux that aroused the ire of Nicolas de Tavernost.

As competition between TF1 and M6 is more front, as shown in the next launch by M6 to a newspaper from 20 hours to the re-entry of September 2009. In this tense context, the demobilization of Axel Duroux by the constituted a casus belli for Nicolas de Tavernost. And climate between the two strings risk of not arranging at the time where "The chained duck" renamed the "the great string down" in reference to the former M6 slogan, "the small chain that goes up"...