RTS Matter – SRG CEO: “I deeply regret that behavior” – News

700 employees of the French-speaking Swiss television company RTS demand an investigation into sexual harassment and intimidation by their management. For years, RTS top management should not have constantly followed up on such allegations. Now SRG Director Gilles Marchand is taking over.

Gilles Marchand

General Director SRG

Open the person boxClose the person box

Gilles Marchand studied sociology (MA) and worked from 1988 to 1990 for the “Tribune de Genève”. He subsequently moved to Ringier Romandie, where he headed the research, marketing and communication department and became director in 1998. He joined SRG in 2001: from 2001 to 2010 he was director of Télévision Suisse Romande (TSR) and from 2010 to 2017 director of Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS).

SRF News: How did you react when you heard about the harassment cases at RTS?

Gilles Marchand: I was surprised. These cases are unacceptable and unbearable for me and SRG. I wholeheartedly condemn abusive behavior in any form, it is unacceptable. We must do everything in our power to prevent such cases from being possible.

Concrete?

This week, SRG’s Board of Directors decided to conduct an independent investigation, which should show whether the tools available to employees today to report this abusive behavior are sufficient.

Today there is a complaints platform, a collaboration with the Movis consultancy and in RTS a Groupe de Mediation, which we operate together with our social partner. A new investigation is to work in the chain of responsibility in the handling of those cases that have now been discovered by «Le Temps».

A case of RTS harassment came to light while you were the director of RTS. He is accused of not drawing the necessary conclusions.

At that point, we examined a certain period of time during which the employee had an administrative role. In hindsight, with today’s information, one should have covered a longer period. Now we must await the results of independent investigations.

Regarding Darius Rochebin, there were rumors about his behavior at RTS in Geneva, which were at least described as questionable. How could this behavior have been tolerated for years without anyone trying to correct the situation?

At that time, we reacted quickly to the information that had been obtained. This affected Darius Rochebin’s profile under a false name on social media. My successor at RTS summoned Rochebin and issued a formal warning. Your accounts violated our journalistic standards. But even here I cannot comment on this case today. He will also be the subject of upcoming reviews.

What about the two accused employees who still work at RTS?

He’s suspended for the duration of the investigation.

700 RTS employees have signed a petition calling for an external investigation. That shows the extent of the problems. Is the current direction of RTS still sustainable?

Yes, that’s her. The RTS management is very committed to handling cases and has my full support. Look: I am deeply sorry that such behavior may occur and I would like to express my full support for those affected. We will quickly make improvements throughout the SRG.

The conversation with Gilles Marchand was held on Wednesday by Mirjam Spreiter and Mirjam Mathis for an opinion on SRF’s “Tagesschau”.