Christopher Baldelli is leaving Public Sénat for RéelsTV. The only candidate to succeed him at the head of the parliamentary channel last spring, the former head of RTL had his mandate renewed for three more years last June. The former head of France 2 (2002-2005), Paris Première (2006-2009) and then RTL (2009-2019) will finally leave his position at the end of November to become president of the future RéelsTV channel, announced the CMI group (Daniel Křetínský), in a press release sent to editorial offices on Monday, September 23. A new procedure dependent on the Senate must open to designate his successor, the parliamentary channel announced.
“Launching a new media is a rare opportunity in a professional life”
“I accepted with great enthusiasm the management of the new TNT channel Réels TV. Launching a new media is a rare opportunity in a professional life. I thank Daniel Křetínský and Denis Olivennes for asking me to take up this challenge.” indicates Christopher Baldelli in the same press release.
“The presence of Christopher Baldelli at the head of Réels TV, through his competence, his experience, but also his culture and his values, is a guarantee of accomplishment of the project that we are carrying: to contribute to ensuring that television participates in the progress of the public spirit in a peaceful democracy, by offering intelligent and entertaining content and reasonable and pluralist debates.” said Denis Olivennes, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of CMI France.
50% documentaries, 25% debates, 25% entertainment
Selected by Arcom as part of the call for applications for DTT frequencies, RéelsTV will begin broadcasting on March 1, 2025. Proposed by the group of Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky CMI France, which owns “Elle”, “Télé 7 Jours”, “Franc-Tireur”, “Ici Paris”, “Le Télégramme”, and “France Dimanche”, the channel promises to “restore the original concept of public debate“, relying on the “know-how” from other CMI France media.
During his appearance before Arcom, Denis Olivennes had notably affirmed that RéelsTV would be based on 50% documentaries, mainly French and European, 25% debates, notably in a daily news programme from 7pm to 9pm, and 25% entertainment in cultural programmes every evening.
“We will have a production house (…) but it is likely that the subjects of the second part of the debate show, probably around one or two current topics, will be provided, under the authority of the editorial management, by Loopsider. (which also belongs to the group, editor’s note)”, he added in front of Arcom. Giuseppe de Martino, co-founder of the online video media Loopsider, was also at his side to defend the project, as was the philosopher Raphaël Enthoven, writer for “Franc-Tireur”, and the editor-in-chief of the magazine “Elle” Ava Djamshidi.
