This pole was only four years of existence

Caught in the turmoil of decrease of hearing on the radio, his historical profession, the NRJ group is about to break away from its Executive Director of the musical media, Christophe Sabot. Arrived in June 2008 the Group Lagardère Active, it had rightly called for hearings of the lighthouse NRJ station and satellites (Nostalgie, Chérie FM, laughs and songs), in steady decline. But a year later, the former leader in France radio is relegated to third place behind RTL and France Inter, just to delight the status of second radio.

In the first half, the Group NRJ Music media activities saw their sales fall by 18.5. Bad news that comes while the group founded by Jean-Paul Baudecroux has posted the first loss in its history in 2008, with a deficit of EUR 4.6 million.

Come more than a year ago to boost hearings as Executive Director of the musical media of NRJ Group, Christophe Sabot is already on the departure. How do you explain it

There is a procedure for possible dismissal from Christophe Sabot underway, but no negotiation takes place between our lawyers. This procedure was opened on the results of the last wave of hearing Médiamétrie, where France Inter passed NRJ in terms of cumulative audience. If I refer to the words of Mr. Sabot, he recognized himself that the radio was "noted harshly" by the Institute of measurement of the hearing, but that he "assumed responsibility" and that, if France Inter going on before NRJ, it was "through our decline."

It is a new management in NRJ crisis, which is unable to straighten his hearings...

I note that there is a combination in the press between Christophe shoe and Jean-Charles Mathey and Marc Pallain departures. They were Presidents of the Executive Board of the group. In June 2008, the mode of administration of the society has changed and Jean-Paul Baudecroux became CEO. At his side, there are six delegated managers. Christophe Sabot is a delegated managers, in charge of the radio stations of the group. It has the same position or responsibilities as Jean-Charles Mathey and Marc Pallain. The potential departure of one of the six directors delegated does not change the Organization of the group or its governance. There is no crisis management, I refute this term. On the other hand, we must go back at all costs our hearings. It is our top priority. We have never ceased to back number one France radio on RTL. This is our main goal.

The name of Bruno Witek is circulated to replace Christophe Sabot...

Bruno Witek has a mission of consultant with NRJ since the month of May. Its mission focuses on the programming of the music group radio as it already does for Arthur Ouï FM or Radio FG, frequency Gay. It is always very good to have an outside eye. It must still reworking the music programming and grid programmes. The arrival of Nikos Aliagas goes in this direction and, if the recovery of our hearings through other recruitment of this type then we will be.

In the first half, the music media pole saves 18.5 of its revenues. The crisis does not explain everything and NRJ is unable to renew itself with young people.

On the decline of the advertising turnover of radios, we come in the middle of the market. We stay number one on the commercial offering in the range of 25-49 years in audience share (PDA), and we are the first radio in cumulative audience, with 12.1 million listeners, régie before IP and Lagardère. We are experiencing the economic environment as all other actors in the media sector and no group has the lower visibility on the evolution of the market. NRJ.fr is the first site of music radio on the Internet, with 2.4 million unique visitors in may, according to Médiamétrie. Our first competitor, Fun Radio, is in fifth position in this ranking. I also remind you that we are not a Monomedia group. Are we stigmatizing while we also have a flagship television including turnover grows strongly, 73.7 much radio. Our audience share has increased by 50 in one year, to 1.5.

Yes, but pole television produces profits, unlike the radio...

This pole was only four years of existence. The diversification of the Group was carried out successfully. NRJ Paris is number one of local television and NRJ Hit is the second music channel on cable and satellite. In the first half, net radio sales represents more than 56 of our sales business, against 44 for other activities. Our pole dissemination with the Towercast progresses from 14.2 in the first half. Over this same period, the NRJ Group recorded an increase of 0.7 of its revenues. It is a very slight increase, certainly, but it is higher still.