Franceinfo is preparing to unveil its new set and control room on Monday, August 31. But this new season, intended to mark the renewal of the public service news channel, is accompanied by a cost-cutting measure that has angered the CGT union: the near-elimination of makeup for guests appearing on air. The decision was announced to employees on Thursday, August 27.
More makeup for most of the guests
Starting Monday, August 31, guests on Franceinfo will no longer automatically receive makeup services before going on air. This is a practice the public broadcaster had maintained until now, unlike the major private news channels, which largely abandoned makeup for guests since the Covid-19 pandemic. The measure comes as Franceinfo seeks to give its broadcast a fresh look. The new set design is intended to support a broader evolution for the channel, which aims to be more responsive and more easily identifiable. Management had prepared for this transformation over the summer, including several weeks of rehearsals and test broadcasts before the start of the new season.
An exception for political leaders
Makeup will not disappear entirely, however. According to the terms announced to employees, an exception is made for politicians invited to the morning show and the 18 p.m. program. They will continue to be handled by professional makeup artists. This difference in treatment is highlighted by the CGT France Télévisions union in its press release. The union denounces a measure that directly affects the professionals involved and reduces their workload.
One vacation day cancelled
Behind the elimination of makeup for many guests lies a reduction in working hours. According to the CGT union, the new organization represents "one less shift per day for the service ," specifically the evening shift. The union emphasizes that this reduction leads to the loss of variable compensation for some employees. Freelancers are also affected, as the decrease in the number of shifts automatically means fewer working days. The CGT therefore believes that the savings made by Franceinfo are directly borne by makeup professionals, an industry already impacted by several reorganizations within France Télévisions.
The CGT also fears a deterioration in the broadcast.
The union is not limiting its criticism to the social consequences. It believes that the lack of makeup on a large number of guests will also lead to "a degraded on-air presentation ." The CGT union also sees this as "yet another sign of the importation of the BFM model onto Channel 16." This fear of Franceinfo becoming "BFM-ized" had already been expressed internally in recent months. During a works council meeting held in June, the new management defended a different approach, explaining in particular that it wanted to draw more inspiration from the way Franceinfo radio operates.
"Guests primarily choose public service broadcasting."
The CGT union also puts forward a more unexpected argument: maintaining the makeup service has, until now, been an advantage for Franceinfo when it comes to convincing guests to appear on its program. According to the union, professionals in the field could have explained to management that the presence of this service is one of the reasons why some guests "choose public broadcasting as a priority, when possible . " The CGT therefore believes that the savings achieved could also have consequences for the channel's attractiveness to its guests.
The CGT is asking France Télévisions to back down
The union is now officially demanding the measure be abandoned. It is asking France Télévisions management "to reconsider this decision ," which it considers incompatible with the announced renewal of Franceinfo. The controversy comes at a time when the public broadcaster is counting heavily on its fall lineup. After several weeks of preparation, Franceinfo is scheduled to present its new look to viewers on Monday, before celebrating its tenth anniversary on September 1st. The new set was intended to symbolize the channel's changing times. The issue of makeup has now become a central point of contention for this fall season.
