Sources inside the Fayard publishing house on Tuesday denounced Vincent Bollor’s “ideological” project, denouncing that the conservative billionaire wants to reclaim the brand for the benefit of the far-right publisher.
This editor is Lise Boel, 57 years old. She is best known for being behind the transformation of Le Figaro journalist Eric Zemmer into a successful far-right essayist published by Albin Michel in the 2010s.
Hachette Livre, a subsidiary of Lagardère, and therefore Vivendi, Vincent Bolloré’s group, announced on February 22 the appointment of Lise Boëll as General Director of Mazarine editions. The group then clarified that Mazarin and Fayard, another hatchet lever house, would now be independent after 45 years of being linked.
According to Fayard insiders interviewed by AFP, Vincent Bollor initially wanted to keep Lise Boel at Fayard. The project received strong opposition within this House, from CEO Isabel Saporta to employees, unions and writers. The billionaire therefore changed plans.
These sources at Fayard were questioned about press information in La Lettre and Le Monde, indicating that the brand would be associated with Mazarin’s books. “The use of the brand will escape Fayard Editions, as the plan is to transfer it to a licensed form, without any editorial control,” one of the sources confirmed to AFP on condition of anonymity. . “Fayard and Mazarin are two conceptual projects that have nothing to do with each other. There is no point in having the same name for both,” she added.
Asked by AFP about this plan for Mazarin to use the Fayard brand, a source close to Vivendi declined to comment. Like Lis Boel, the operation of the hatchet lever could not be reached.
“At a time when we’re wondering about diversity in Vincent Bollor’s media, he’s setting an example of how he wants to impose his ideological line,” another company source said.
“A CNews type publishing house”
“In Fayard, everyone understands very well that there can be a CNews-type publishing house (the TV news channel is also controlled by Mr. Bolloré, editor’s note). But it is not like we should erase our home and all that it represents,” she added.
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Vincent Bollor reproduces what he had already put in a rival publishing group he owns until the end of 2023, the French number two Editis. When Lise Ball left Albin Mitchell at the end of 2021 after a 24-year career, he jumped at the chance to hire her. He appointed her head of Plon, which, like Fayard, is one of the oldest French publishing houses still in activity.
According to AFP insiders, Hachette Livre wanted to set up Mazarin premises on the rue d’Assas in Paris, as Plow did at the time. And Lis Boel plans to surround herself with some of Plon’s collaborators in order to attract similar writers, including Philippe de Villiers and Stefan Bern.
L’Aubs confirmed in early February that in view of the European elections in June, Lise Boll had convinced National Rally president Jordan Bardella to become the publisher of his first book where he would head the list. This work is the main reason why the management, employees and writers of this house want nothing to do with Mazarin.
“The license means: I want your name, I want your brand, your reputation, and you have no say,” lamented one of the sources.
Vincent Bollor makes no secret of his affiliation with traditional Catholicism, and is condemned by many opponents as using the media and publishing houses to benefit a reactionary political project.
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