France

RFI gets new chief

Article published on the 2008-07-02 Latest update 2008-07-04 16:30 TU

Alain de Pouzilhac.
(Photo: Sébastien Bonijol / RFI)

The head of a new, streamlined French media group, Alain de Pouzilhac, took over as CEO of Radio France Internationale Tuesday, marking one of the first steps in a controversial overhaul of public broadcasting in France.

Pouzilhac is already the head of Audiovisuel extérieur de la France (AEF), a group set up to bring together France’s international media stations: France24, RFI and France’s share of the international French-speaking channel TV5.

With Pouzilhac's new posting, AEF takes one step closer to completion.

“I have one ambition: to continue to reinforce RFI,” Pouzilhac said in an interview broadcast on RFI’s French-language station Wednesday morning. “I think that RFI has a very good editorial line, very good information, world-wide coverage. Now there are innovations to be brought in: new technologies that offer fantastic opportunities; everything that is mobile, internet-related. [We are going to] continue to develop radio everywhere around the world.”

The former communications executive also said he’d like to expand RFI into areas where it isn’t well-known, specifically targeting Iran, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Asia.

Pouzilhac takes over from Antoine Schwarz, who resigned several months ahead of schedule, saying that he didn’t want to hold up the reforms planned for the radio broadcaster.

Pouzilhac has served as the head of France24 since its launch in December 2006 and will remain its president for the next three months, until a successor can be found.