A call to the slingOmnicom is not to be alarmed

Concerns are mounting about the sale of France television advertising Board at the tandem formed by Publicis and Stéphane Courbit. After policies, it is the turn of professionals worry about possible conflicts of interest related to the operation. Audiovisual producers have asked to meet Patrick de Carolis, President of France television. They will be received this week (see box).

Similarly, certain advertising, for the most part leaders of groups of Anglo-Saxon origin, alarm of a possible distortion of competition with Publicis (even minority) entry in France television advertising (FTP). Guillaume Pannaud, Chairman of TBWA/Paris (Omnicom), was the first to draw on February 11 in a forum published in "The world": "Publicis would both Council media strategy via its advertising agencies ..., buyer to purchase media via its plants to purchase ...". and seller of space via its subsidiary MRE, which would come to the capital of FTP .... "Interviewed by"Les echos", he shows even more radical:"If necessary, we hesitate not to enter the competition Council." Last week, it was followed by Hervé Brossard and Bertrand Beaudichon, respectively President and Vice-President of Omnicom Media Group France, authors of a letter to the Minister of Culture Frédéric Mitterrand and Bercy, where they again highlight the concerns of the profession. A Maurice Lévy, CEO of Publicis, who recalled that his group has authorities since the 1930s without having never taken in crossing the yellow line, Bertrand Beaudichon default counters. "With the régie France Televisions, the context is unreported," he said. "The risk of distortion of competition is increased by the shortage on the advertising spaces of France television, which is an important part of the budget of the advertisers."

A call to the sling

Omnicom is not to be alarmed. "He must keep the competition fair and balanced," said Frédéric Winckler, CEO of JWT Paris, subsidiary of WPP, the British advertising giant. Others are more brutal: "We risk entering a circumvention of the FIR act with a company, France television, funded in large part on public money", say Fred and Farid, patterns of the eponymous Agency, who launched an appeal against the privatization of FTP on Facebook. Before this Sling, AACC (advice in communication agencies Association) has announced the creation of an "Observatory of new competitive practices".

For their part, Stéphane Courbit, nor Maurice Lévy, wish to express themselves. In an interview on "Figaro" February 5, and the presentation of the results of Publicis, they denied any risk of conflict of interest. Not because the disappearance of France television advertising, under the Act for the end of 2011. Must this deletion materializes. Some members of UMP, as Jean-François Copé or Christian Kert, argue that must change the law. Another argument could play: late January, Brussels found incompatible with European law the "telecoms tax" to fund public broadcasting. Maurice Lévy is skeptical: "I can't imagine a moment that President Nicolas Sarkozy will reverse its decision", he said.

For its part, France television is aware of the problem, and has established two working groups, one on the editorial line, the other on the commercial and competitive aspects. "It is fundamental to guarantee equality of access to our screens," insists the leadership of the group. The findings will be presented to Patrick de Carolis mid-March. It will then propose "legal locks" tandem purchaser.