The former boss of TF1, Nonce Paolini, who was director of human resources before taking over the channel in 2007, died this Wednesday, July 17 at the age of 75, TF1 announced in a press release.
The TF1 group teams “pay tribute to a leader who left his mark on our group and on French audiovisual media”writes TF1 in its press release, welcoming the contribution to “the editorial line” of the one who will have passed “nearly thirty years within the Bouygues group”.
Group Director from 2007 to 2016
Having worked for Bouygues Telecom, Nonce Paolini was director of human relations for the TF1 group from 1993 to 1999. In 2007, he then took over as head of the first private channel from the duo Etienne Mougeotte and Patrick Le Lay. His first feat of arms was the ousting of the presenter of the 8pm news, Patrick Poivre d’Arvor, then that of Claire Chazal in 2015.
This Corsican had also initiated a vast plan to modernise TF1, developing digital and replay, while proposing new headliners, such as presenter Gilles Bouleau. “He is changing the editorial line of the TF1 channel and its image, by entrusting the reins of the 8pm and weekend news to Gilles Bouleau and Anne-Claire Coudray, and by launching shows such as The Voice et Dance with the stars, still on the air today,” TF1 underlines in its press release.
“He was a huge boss of TF1”
Described by the group as a “tenacious leader and courageous decision-maker”, Nonce Paolini finally left his place at the head of the channel to Gilles Pélisson in 2016. “I am devastated by the death of Nonce who, beyond professional relations (…) had become a friend,” reacted his successor and former CEO. “French audiovisual industry loses a great leader”, assured Rodolphe Belmer, the current general director of the TF1 group.
On X (ex-Twitter), several journalists also wanted to pay tribute to him. “Nonce Paolini was a lord in this profession. He was an immense boss of TF1 and a dear friend who accompanied me in the difficult years of the 8pm news, wrote the channel’s former journalist, Laurence Ferrari. Always by my side, always smiling even in the fight.” “Our exchanges were so frank and so sincere,” confided the host Jean-Luc Reichmannaccompanying his message with a photo of the former CEO.
Source: www.liberation.fr
