The voice of Jean-Pierre Elkabbach, who left his mark on several generations, will no longer resonate on radios or televisions. The famous editorial journalist, who worked on several major national media, died this Tuesday, October 3. He was 86 years old. Born in 1937 in Oran, Algeria, Jean-Pierre Elkabbach studied at prestigious schools: first at the Institut Français de la Presse, then at the University of Paris, and finally at the Institut d’Etudes Paris policies. He began his career in Oran, Algiers and Constantine as a journalist for ORTF (French television broadcasting office), but was put on the shelf and transferred to Toulouse in 1968, following a strike. Two years later, in 1970, he became presenter of the TV news of the Première Chaîne (ancestor of TF1), then of the second channel in 1972. However, he very quickly abandoned television, and joined the Radio France teams as as presenter of the midday news segment on France Inter. From that moment on, Jean-Pierre Elkabbach continued to climb the ranks. He quickly became editor-in-chief of France Inter, then editor-in-chief of the news department of Radio France, before returning to television as news director of Antenne 2, ancestor of the France channel. 2.
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“Shut up, Elkabbach!”
While co-hosting the show Cartes sur table with Alain Duhamel, the journalist was questioned with “Shut up Elkabbach” by George Marchais, secretary of the Communist Party at the time. A phrase of which we no longer find any trace but which has become a true legend, remembered thanks to the many comedians who repeated it. So much so that the main person concerned used it as the title for a book, written with his wife Nicole Avril in 1992.
A memorable career
Ousted from Antenne 2 following the election of François Mitterrand, Jean-Pierre Elkabbach arrived on Europe 1 in 1981. As at Radio France, he climbed the ranks in a few years, going from the status of host to that of presenter and branch director, then deputy general director. He left radio after 12 years of service when he was elected president of France 2 and France 3, but returned there 3 years later, becoming in turn special advisor for media strategy for the Lagardère group, general director of the antenna of Europe 1 then president of Europe 1. He will be replaced in this position in 2008 by Alexandre Bompard, and will be appointed head of Lagardère News, while continuing to officiate on the antenna of Europe 1 He also chaired the Public Senate channel from 2000 to 2009. From January 2017, he was replaced by Fabien Namias at the head of the daily political interview on Europe 1. He then took over the management of Cnews to present the interview In The Morning of the news channel, while being appointed advisor to the majority shareholder Vincent Bolloré. His voice will have marked several generations. He leaves behind his wife, the novelist Nicole Avril, and his daughter, the actress Emmanuelle Bach.
