Advertising for books on television: publisher Antoine Gallimard calls for the repeal of the decree

Publisher Antoine Gallimard is calling for the repeal of the decree which authorizes advertising for books on terrestrial television channels, according to information from France Inter on Saturday April 13. The decree, published on Saturday February 6 in the Official Journal, perpetuates advertising for cinema on television and authorizes, for a period of two years, advertising for books on the small screen.

“There is an urgent need for this decree to be withdrawn”, launched the editor at the microphone of France Inter. Antoine Gallimard says to himself “very surprised” of the publication of the decree. He assures that “all publishers” said they were against “in the name of diversity”. “You put three books, four books in front, while 40 behind will not have the right to any information. It’s not fair”denounces the president of the Madrigall group, parent company of several publishing houses and distribution companies, including Gallimard, Flammarion, Casterman, Denoël and POL

The publishing world believes that advertising for books on television creates a distortion between large publishers and small ones. Only the big houses will be able to pay for advertisements for their books. And for publishers who have the means, they will be tempted to favor authors who already sell very well. “We are one of the first countries to have so many book proposals. And we absolutely must secure that”, alerts Antoine Gallimard. He asks “work quietly without being hit by big campaigns that would destroy our market in its diversity”. Madrigall’s boss calls on the government to work to ensure there are more literary programs on public television.

According to information from France Inter, the National Publishing Union is on the same line as Antoine Gallimard and should soon make it known.