As French wine magazine La Revue du Vin de France looks set to be acquired by French publishing group Marie-Claire, reports suggest Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve will leave La Revue.
Desseauve and Bettane, both eminent wine journalists in France and abroad, are unhappy with the current offer.
‘Thierry and I are sticking together. There is a disagreement between us and the owners of the magazine,’ Bettane told decanter.com.
Sources close to the deal and those involved claim that it is highly likely Bettane and Desseauve will leave La Revue if the deal, as it stands, goes through. But both Bettane and Desseauve are tight-lipped about their plans.
‘There could be some changes but it’s too early to say,’ said Desseauve.
The takeover comes as part of a wider deal, with Marie-Claire snapping up four titles in the Media Publication group which include Votre Beauté, Mariage, La Revue Viticole Internationale and La Revue du Vin de France.
Marie-Claire is part of the Lagardere publishing group and also owns the magazine Cuisine et Vins de France.
Although the deal is still being discussed, a spokesperson from Marie-Claire confirmed that it had made an offer.
‘We have made an offer, we are still in talks and we are awaiting the results of the audit. The deal should be finalised by the end of the summer,’ she said.
Denis Saverot, editor of the Revue du Vin de France, was categorical.
‘One, the deal has not been signed – although there are good chances it will be – and two, at the present time, Thierry Desseauve and Michel Bettane are still with us,’ he said. Saverot also added that whatever happened to the magazine, it was here to stay.
‘The magazine is one of France’s oldest. It began in 1927 and is not ready to disappear. There are many rumours but in a deal like this, there cannot not be any changes and some people will certainly leave. But we have what it takes to assure the continuity of the magazine,’ he said.
Written by Oliver Styles
