Caroline Jamet will officially take over as president of Cogeco Media on February 3, succeeding Caroline Paquet in a stormy context to say the least.
A former executive at - and La Presse, her arrival is already perceived by many as the continuity of a closed system often described as a “Country Club”.
Barely appointed head of Cogeco, she already finds herself in hot water.
Its links with La Presse, a media often perceived as a bastion of media elitism and cronyism, raise concerns in a context where Cogeco is criticized for its close-knit culture, described as a “Country Club”.
The rise of Caroline Jamet is part of a continuity that fuels criticism. Éric Trottier, former executive of La Presse, holds key positions within Cogeco Media, notably as director of digital content and information.
His influence, combined with that of figures like Philippe Cantin and Patrick Lagacé, both also from La Presse, transformed 98.5 FM into an editorial fortress where diversity of opinions became a rarity.
By accepting this appointment, Jamet inherits a system marked by controversial decisions and internal power struggles.
Her previous roles at La Presse, where she led ambitious digital transformations, are not enough to reassure those who see a problematic continuity.
Caroline Jamet will have to navigate an environment marked by recent crises. The suspension of Jeremy Filosa, a journalist appreciated for his independence, is seen as a symptom of a system where divergent opinions are repressed.
This incident reinforced the perception of excessive control exercised by the Trottier-Cantin-Lagacé trio, a network where personal ties sometimes seem to take precedence over company interests.
Jamet’s appointment, far from being welcomed as a breath of fresh air, has revived concerns about Cogeco’s ability to renew itself.
His past at La Presse, although respectable, symbolizes for many an inability to break the closed circle that currently dominates the Quebec media landscape.
Caroline Jamet will have to quickly prove that she is capable of restoring the plurality of voices within Cogeco and putting an end to the abuses observed at 98.5 FM.
However, this will require direct confrontation with the company’s dominant figures, notably Éric Trottier, whose central role in the station’s editorial strategy has been repeatedly criticized.
The stakes are immense: Cogeco Media, once recognized for its credibility and diversity, has seen its reputation collapse under the weight of scandals.
The dismissals of popular figures like MC Gilles and Pierre-Yves McSween, without forgetting the merciless dismissal of Patricia Paquin to replace her with Maripier Morin (Rythme FM), showed an environment where freedom of expression seems to be sacrificed for the benefit of personal ambitions and control dynamics.
Jamet’s past at La Presse raises a central question: will she be able to distance herself from the practices inherited from this former employer?
La Presse has often been criticized for its internal alliances and its elitism. These criticisms particularly resonate at Cogeco, where the influence of former La Presse executives is omnipresent.
The fact that Jamet collaborated closely with figures like Éric Trottier reinforces the perception that she could be seen as an extension of this system.
Unless there is a radical change in its approach, it risks consolidating this image, further fueling public and employee distrust.
Caroline Jamet has before her a unique opportunity: that of transforming Cogeco into an open and diversified media, capable of reconnecting with its fundamental values.
However, to achieve this, it will have to break with past practices and confront head-on the power games that are undermining the company.
If she fails, her presidency could mark a point of no return for Cogeco, a company already weakened by the departures of key figures and a general loss of confidence.
Conversely, if she succeeds in imposing an independent and modern vision, she could become the figurehead of a necessary media renewal in Quebec.
The public and employees are waiting for clear answers: will Caroline Jamet be the president who breaks the cycle of controversies and restores Cogeco to its place as a media leader, or will she remain locked into the dynamics inherited from La Presse and of the “Country Club”?
The task is immense, and time is against it.
Only the future will tell if Caroline Jamet will be able to meet these challenges or if she will, in turn, be swept away by the spiral of crises that are shaking Cogeco.
The position of president of Cogeco Media has been vacant since the hasty departure of Caroline Paquet, dismissed at the end of August in a delicate context.
Paquet’s hasty departure, announced last August, reflected growing tensions within the company.
Unable to contain internal rivalries and impose himself against dominant figures, his departure left a void that Jamet will have to fill.
Initially, Martin Spalding, formerly of Bell Media, was announced as successor. However, this choice was quickly revoked after allegations of sexism and psychological harassment against employees were revealed.
This turnaround cast a shadow over the selection process, giving the impression that Cogeco Media was seeking more to put out fires than to pursue a clear strategy to stabilize its leadership.
The arrival of Caroline Jamet in this role is therefore perceived by many as an attempt to improve the company’s image.
Caroline Jamet takes the reins of Cogeco at a time when the private radio industry is facing major challenges.
The drop in advertising revenue and the decline in live listening, highlighted by Numeris data, are weakening the group’s economic model.
98.5 FM, pillar of the Cogeco Media network, lost market share last fall after the departure of Paul Arcand, its star host.
This decline reflects the difficulty for the station to maintain its leading status in a constantly evolving media landscape.
Jamet will also have to respond to the rise of digital platforms and podcasts, a sector in which -, under his leadership, has been able to do well with initiatives like OHdio.
However, at Cogeco, these digital transitions are still timid, and the accumulated delay could complicate the task of the new president.
Caroline Jamet takes office in an environment where every decision will be scrutinized. If it fails to bring about real change, it risks reinforcing the image of a closed, elitist and outdated Cogeco Media.
On the other hand, if she manages to turn things around, she could mark a turning point in the company’s history and become a savior of Quebec’s media revival.
Only time will tell if she will be able to navigate these troubled waters or if she will be swept away by the currents that have already derailed her predecessors.
For now, Caroline Jamet seems more than ever in the spotlight, with the Quebec media industry hanging on her first moves.
98.5 FM is going through an identity and structural crisis.
The challenges are numerous. She will not only have to restore public confidence in Cogeco, but also manage the internal tensions that have broken the company.
If its skills in digital transformation and strategy are recognized, its integration into an environment dominated by figures as influential as Trottier, Cantin and Lagacé risks limiting its room for maneuver.
This will require a questioning of current structures and a firm stance against the power games that plague the company.
Without significant change, Cogeco risks sinking further into a spiral of crises, gradually losing its audience and credibility.
Jamet is at a crossroads: will she become the architect of a renewal or a simple continuation of a failing system?
Bets are on.
