FRANCE:The future of Le Mondenewspaper has been plunged into uncertainty following a vote by journalists to oust its director, Jean-Marie Colombani, whose name had become synonymous with the influential but loss-making journal.
Mr Colombani, the editorial figurehead, was seeking a further six-year mandate. Although he was the sole candidate for the post of chairman of the management board, only about 47 per cent of reporters and editors, whose backing he needed, voted for him to stay.
The 58-year-old had needed at least 60 per cent in the secret ballot, held on Tuesday, to remain in the job.
Shareholders and executives had balloted in favour of his reappointment, but editorial staff had the right of veto.
The vote against Mr Colombani was described as a protest against his management style rather than a crisis of confidence at the newspaper.
Critics have accused the director of governing Le Monde"like an absolute monarch". The journalists also objected to his strategy of taking the company deep into the red by acquiring other publications for a "media empire" while the flagship Le Monde was losing both money and readers.
Le Monde'scirculation has fallen over the past seven years to a low, last year, of 350,000 a day.
To cover the paper's growing debts Mr Colombani had sought external investment, a move that ended up angering journalists, who hold shares in the paper and fear losing their influence and independence. Outside investors control only 47 per cent of the group.
Mr Colombani, who worked as a journalist for Le Mondefrom 1977 before becoming chairman in 1994, backed the Socialist, Ségolène Royal, in the recent presidential election.
A committee representing shareholders and editorial staff will meet tomorrow to seek a replacement candidate for chairman.