Advertising exec named as head of 'French CNN'

PARIS, Dec 9 (AFP) – A former advertising executive, Alain de Pouzilhac, has been appointed the head of France’s new international television news network that President Jacques Chirac hopes will rival CNN and the BBC, the network said in a statement Friday.

His job will be to oversee the French International News Network (CFII) when it starts broadcasting in French and English to Europe, Africa and the Middle East next year, and prepare its later expansion into Asia and North and South America.

On November 30, the French government officially announced the birth of the network, which Chirac said would place France “at the forefront of the global battle of images”.

Pouzilhac, 60, is be backed up by two lieutenants, each drawn from the two companies that jointly own the CFII: France’s public television broadcaster France Televisions and the leading national commercial channel TF1.

Ulysse Gosset, a France Televisions man, has been named the director general in charge of news and programmes. Jean-Pierre Paoli, from TF1, will be in charge of administration and operations.

Pouzilhac, a descendant of a French aristocratic family who carved out a stellar career in advertising with a high-school certificate his only qualification, was forced out as head of the Havas advertising agency in Paris in June after a wealthy industrialist bought his way in.

Subject: French news

Advertising exec named as head of ‘French CNN’