Victoires Face More Pullouts

PARIS-France's showcase awards, the Victoires de la Musique, have plunged deeper into crisis with the withdrawal of indies body UPFI and the allied producers' collecting society SPPF.
The decision, made June 18 at the Victoires board meeting (BillboardBulletin, June 18), leaves the show with no label representation on the board since the departure of the major-heavy society SNEP (Billboard, June 12).
Now, both major and indie bodies have announced their intention to work together on a new pop awards show.
Observers suggest it will be impossible for UPFI and SNEP to produce a separate show if the Victoires survive. Yet the Victoires association has voted unanimously to continue, inviting the Ministry of Culture and Communication to mediate. Possible candidates for the role of mediator include current Culture Minister Catherine Trautmann and former Culture Minister Jack Lang.
"The mediator will have to unite the industry," says Enrico Della Rosa, Victoires de la Musique GM. "But we have to find a solution, because this problem extends right through the music industry," he adds.
The remainder of the Victoires board, comprising authors and artists, has decided to go ahead with the classical Victoires but remains undecided on the pop awards. Both shows are scheduled for February 2000, but it is unclear if public-service channel France Television will broadcast-and pay for-the classical show if the pop Victoires are canceled.
Another board meeting July 6 will deal with this issue and the financial problems arising from a judgment in a case brought about by Victoires founder Claude Fl outer concerning the use of the Victoires name.