There is no doubt that he will be competing

The group voice of the North, held by the Group of Belgian press Rossel, will lay here on June 4, a bid of "picard mail." As should be the Hersant Media Group (GHM) of here Thursday as deadline for the submission of applications. The passage of the journal (read "Les Echos" from April 7) of the status of cooperative production company (SCOP) in her, subject to the approval in July of the General Assembly of members, who hold 55 of the capital, opens in effect track at the entrance of new foreign partners. But, whatever the candidate who will have the favour of the Board of directors from June 8, they are in the end these members who choose to sell their shares. There is no doubt that he will be competing. Because "The courier" is a strategic link in the battle between the two heavyweights of the PQR: if he could take control of the small newspaper, which broadcasts to best estimated, Philippe Hersant group would circle a little more northern rival.

Strategic issues

But "The voice of the North" has already ahead since its subsidiary, Norpicom (55 vote of the North, 45 Credit Agricole Brie-Picardie and Credit Agricole North of France) is already a shareholder of "Picard mail" to 45. "It is to increase the scope of the group in a logic of territorial continuity", explains Jacques Hardoin, CEO of the group based in Lille. "The printing of"Picard mail"is an old tool and at the end of race." We could print this log on our new press (Editor's Note: 4 new machines put into service in September), thereby enhancing its quality with a log while colors and contribute to the amortization of our equipment, he added. This log must be picard; our commitment is to maintain its current area, which extends from the North of the Oise and Saint-Quentin sum.

A way of saying that this is not the case with the Group Hersant, who already compete with "The Union of Reims" Saint-Quentin "the mail" and his "New Aisne" tri-hebdomadaire. The strategy of Philippe Hersant, which operates as its "papivore" of father (he already bought in 2007 "Nice-Matin" and "La Provence" at Hachette), is parsed differently. On the one hand, it may be territorial, as this acquisition would allow GHM of completing an arc of circle of its newspapers from le Havre ("Le Havre free", "Le Havre press"...) via Rouen to Reims ("Paris Normandy"), or even Troyes with the editions of "The Union" in Champagne-Ardenne. The Rotary of his journals in Seine-Maritime and Eure would also tired and according to some, the resumption of the picard daily could be part of a plan to create a new more central printing. But other observers believe that Hersant group may indeed seek to sell its newspapers from le Havre to cope with its debt: have "Le Courrier picard" in the basket would "promote more coherent whole." GHM wished to comment.

Loss of 2 million in 2008

However, the situation is quite urgent to "Le Courrier picard", who must cope with large financial difficulties, with a loss of EUR 2 million, there is nothing that in 2008, is half of its own funds. The maintenance in SCOP would have required a significant recapitalisation of its members, in the amount of 20,000 euros each. This proved impossible, paving the way for the covetous of the two larger neighbors.