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Music rules the airwaves as French radio journalists' strike stretches on Music rules the airwaves as French radio journalists' strike stretches on
(35 minutes later)
Listeners of France Inter radio – the equivalent of Radio 4 – woke up on Sunday to Juliette Gréco warbling Douce France.Listeners of France Inter radio – the equivalent of Radio 4 – woke up on Sunday to Juliette Gréco warbling Douce France.
On Monday, it was Nat King Cole, Brigitte Fontaine, Bobby Womack and, to cap it all, Sparks’ This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us (and not for the first time either).On Monday, it was Nat King Cole, Brigitte Fontaine, Bobby Womack and, to cap it all, Sparks’ This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us (and not for the first time either).
Listeners hoping for the results of France’s departmental elections or the dulcet tones of Patrick Cohen, France’s answer to John Humphrys heard ... music. Listeners hoping for the results of France’s departmental elections, or the dulcet tones of Patrick Cohen, France’s answer to John Humphrys, heard ... music.
It was the same last week. As the Germanwings Airbus tragedy emerged and developed with day after day of shocking revelations, radio audiences heard ... music. Tuning in elsewhere made no difference; on France Info, the other main news station, there were occasional news reports and the same music as on France Inter – on a loop.It was the same last week. As the Germanwings Airbus tragedy emerged and developed with day after day of shocking revelations, radio audiences heard ... music. Tuning in elsewhere made no difference; on France Info, the other main news station, there were occasional news reports and the same music as on France Inter – on a loop.
Every now and again, came an annoucement: “Because of a strike by several union organisations for reasons of budget difficulties and in defence of jobs at Radio France, we are not in a position to broadcast all of our usual programmes. Please accept our apologies”. Every now and again came an announcement: “Because of a strike by several union organisations for reasons of budget difficulties and in defence of jobs at Radio France, we are not in a position to broadcast all of our usual programmes. Please accept our apologies.”
Staff at France’s national broadcaster have been on strike since March 19, the longest radio news silence for a decade. The previous record was in 2004 when Radio France journalists downed microphones and abandoned the airwaves for 18 days. Staff at France’s national broadcaster have been on strike since 19 March, the longest radio news silence for a decade. The previous record was in 2004 when Radio France journalists downed microphones and abandoned the airwaves for 18 days.
On Monday afternoon, unions and management held emergency talks, while the music continued. On Monday afternoon, unions and management held emergency talks while the music continued.
Radio France, an umbrella group for several stations, including France Inter, France Info and France Culture, is 90 per cent state funded through licence fees. Radio France, an umbrella group for several stations, including France Inter, France Info and France Culture, is 90% state funded through licence fees.
After announcing a projected budget deficit of €21.3m (£15.6m) for this year, there are fears of widespread redundancies and threats of outsourcing production and cleaning contracts. There was also anger as one of France Radio’s two philharmonic orchestras was fired as a cost-cutting measure. After announcing a projected budget deficit of €21.3m (£15.6m) for this year, there are fears of widespread redundancies amid threats of outsourcing production and cleaning contracts. There was also anger as one of France Radio’s two orchestras was fired as a cost-cutting measure.
Relations between management and staff were further soured when it was revealed the office of Mathieu Gallet, the chief executive of Radio France, office had undergone a €100,000 revamp. Relations between management and staff were further soured when it emerged that the office of Mathieu Gallet, the head of Radio France, had undergone a €100,000 revamp.
Gallet apologised and insisted the work had been approved before he took up the job and that it involved the preservation of some “historic woodwork”. However, his comments failed to reassure the strikers, especially when it emerged Gallet is employing a “communications consultant” on a €90,000 a year salary. Gallet apologised and insisted the work had been approved before he took up the job and that it involved the preservation of some “historic woodwork”. However, his comments failed to reassure the strikers, especially when it emerged that Gallet is employing a “communications consultant” on a €90,000-a-year salary.
“We don’t trust him any more. It will take strong actions, a project worth the employees’ and public’s expectations. Anything short of that and the conflict will continue,” said the SUD union at France Radio.“We don’t trust him any more. It will take strong actions, a project worth the employees’ and public’s expectations. Anything short of that and the conflict will continue,” said the SUD union at France Radio.
Manuel Valls, the French prime minister, has demanded: “This strike must end. Talks between the unions and management need to restart on the right foot.” But if anything, the two sides have become even more entrenched. Manuel Valls, the French prime minister, has said: “This strike must end. Talks between the unions and management need to restart on the right foot.” But if anything the two sides have become even more entrenched.
The presenters of France Musique, France Inter and France Culture last week published an open letter to listeners, entitled This Strike is For You.The presenters of France Musique, France Inter and France Culture last week published an open letter to listeners, entitled This Strike is For You.
“We are the voices that talk to your ears every day, thorugh our interviews, chronicles, reportages, documentaries, we try our best to fulfil the missions of public radio: to inform, to educate, to entertain,” it said.“We are the voices that talk to your ears every day, thorugh our interviews, chronicles, reportages, documentaries, we try our best to fulfil the missions of public radio: to inform, to educate, to entertain,” it said.
“Public service has no vocation or possibility of being profitable … Radio France is a heritage to be defended just as much as the wood in the president’s office.”“Public service has no vocation or possibility of being profitable … Radio France is a heritage to be defended just as much as the wood in the president’s office.”
Valeria Emanuele, national secretary of the Syndicat National des Journalistes at Radio France, accused the French ministry of culture and Radio France directors of “playing with our radio, our future”. Valeria Emanuele, national secretary of journalists union the SNJ at Radio France, accused the French ministry of culture and Radio France directors of “playing with our radio, our future”.
In an article in Le Monde, she wrote: “This enterprise is our identity, our DNA, our present and our future. We are so proud to work for her and consequently so angry to see that we are just the puppels in a pathetic game of role playing.” In an article in Le Monde, she wrote: “This enterprise is our identity, our DNA, our present and our future. We are so proud to work for it and consequently so angry to see that we are just the puppets in a pathetic game of role playing.”