She has him dreaming Biosphere II experience by a Dr

ENDEMOL'S SECRET HISTORY

by Benoît Delmas

and Véronique Richebois

Flammarion, 272 pages, 19 euros.

The history of reality TV is a novel. A novel of character where, behind the setting of emissions based on the exploitation of voyeurism, intersect the haines and friendships, business and politics. A black novel, with its "small (financial) murder between friends." But a true novel, traced here by two journalists, Véronique Richebois Benoît Delmas of the "new Economist", and "Echoes" at the end of a thorough investigation in an environment where the real powerful are not the most conspicuous.

The beginning of the plot takes place on two different planes. In Netherlands, John de Mol, a dandy of television creation, conceived the idea which was to him in 1996 one of the richest men in the world. She has him dreaming "Biosphere II", experience by a Dr. Strangelove California, consisting of to live in autarky a group of individuals a year. Transposed to the television, the idea will become "big brother", an explosive worldwide success, and will be adapted by M6 under the name of "Loft story". When he left in 2004 his company, Endemol, John de Mol is the head of a fortune estimated at $ 1 billion by the magazine "Forbes". Endemol does not as reality TV: first European producer of entertainment (games, talk-shows, etc.), it is present in 23 countries through hundreds of programs.

Change of scenery. In France, in the early 90s, a young man discreet, Stéphane Courbit, made his debut in television production. First in Christophe Dechavanne, with whom he soon step in to get angry, then through his own company, created in association with host Arthur. The tandem produces emissions to success, as "The children of TV" or "The fury" Saturday night which attracts the attention of John de Mol. The Dutch tycoon takes contact with the two French and buys 50 of their society, which becomes Endemol France.

Twists and turns

Then history accelerates, the ups and downs become harsher. The rise of Endemol France and thinking head, Stéphane Courbit, takes place on two axes. First, the purchase of multiple production companies, which is parent company the leading provider of programming turnkey hexagonal chains, often reduced to the simple role of transmission channels. Then, the operation of the seam of the reality, which is enriched with new concepts: next to the "Loft" formula appear emissions of varieties as the "Star Academy", or competitions scripted, such as "The farm celebrities" or "Fear Factor".

It is less, indeed, a concerted strategy to a succession of risky paris and battles with cold violence. To be read, for example, the story of the sale of "big brother", TF1 and M6 doing mine virtuously delaying this voyeuristic formula but negotiating each on his side in skilfully orchestrated auction by Mol and Courbit...

Yet, the future is not free of threats. Is the reality not worn by its own success Will not the strings react to escape their dependence on production companies Open-ended questions. In the meantime, this account, which it will forgive a few facilities for writing, could provide the frame... an excellent television series.