Le Devoir mourns. Bernard Descôteaux, who ran the daily newspaper from 1999 to 2016, died on Saturday, January 13th, at the age of 77, following complications from cancer. During his time at the helm of the newspaper, he had to deal with an environment marked by the decline of the paper and the exodus of advertising revenue. In these turbulent times, the newsroom could at least always count on his commitment. Le Devoir's survival is largely due to its unifying qualities and flair. Among other things, we have him to thank for the beginning of digital change.
“As director of Le Devoir, he always knew how to maintain balance. He knew that he was the guardian of the legacy of Le Devoir, that emblematic newspaper of Quebec. But at the same time he also knew how to develop the newspaper so that it adapted to the times,” summarizes the former president of SODEC Monique Simard, who knew Bernard Descôteaux well.
Their meeting dates back to the time when Monique Simard held the highest positions within the CSN. Bernard Descôteaux was then president of the editorial union affiliated with this central union.
Bernard Descôteaux was hired as a journalist by Claude Ryan in 1974 and eventually held almost all of the positions at Le Devoir. He covered municipal affairs before becoming a parliamentary correspondent in Quebec and Ottawa.
In 1990 the new director, Lise Bissonnette, appointed him editor-in-chief. The scope of the task is immense. The daily newspaper, founded 80 years earlier by Henri Bourrassa, was on the verge of collapse. “The newspaper had great difficulties, certainly in financial matters, but also editorially and editorially. At its helm we will have been the first ever team of professional journalists. [Bernard] “I immediately agreed to take this risk and committed myself to it unconditionally, despite the general distrust expressed in various circles where there were whispers of the newspaper closing down,” recalled Lise Bissonnette, writing tributes to his former number two.
The arrival of Lise Bissonnette, the first woman to lead a daily newspaper in the country, causes turmoil in the newsroom. His recovery plan is being poorly received by some. Significant concessions are required from employees. In August 1993, a standoff between management and journalists resulted in the paper's printing being halted for two days. The future of Le Devoir is in jeopardy. With his calm and unifying temperament, Bernard Descôteaux may have played a leading role in freeing everyday life from the impasse.
“He was exceptional during that time. On the one hand, he expressed solidarity with Ms. Bissonnette's management, which was under enormous pressure to cut costs from the people who financed Le Devoir. On the other hand, the newsroom was also part of it. He really bridged the gap between the two of them. So, despite the very difficult situation, his attitude helped not to inflame hostilities,” explains Josée Boileau, the then president of the editorial union.
When Lise Bissonnette left Le Devoir in 1998 to head the Grande Bibliothèque, Bernard Descôteaux was the ideal successor. The following year he officially became the eighth director in Le Devoir's history, inheriting a newspaper whose financial position was more enviable than at the beginning of the decade, but which was still precarious.
The editorial line remains essentially the same: nationalist and social democratic. But his leadership style differs from that of his predecessor, who made a point of taking up a lot of media space to embody Le Devoir at the precise moment it needed a strong identity.
“Bernard was a very discreet person. He didn't look for the light. He didn't hesitate to delegate to the people around him. He trusted, and that was greatly appreciated. He didn't need to break cover to assert his authority. Of course he had some. He radiated a kind of wisdom in the newsroom,” recalls Josée Boileau, who will be his editor-in-chief from 2009 until his retirement in 2016.
She was succeeded in these functions by a great accomplice of Bernard Descôteaux, Jean-Robert Sansfaçon, who died in December 2022. “When I was editor-in-chief, Jean-Robert remained editor. He and I often disagreed when the newspaper had to take a stand. I was much further to the left than him, who had a more economic background. Bernard was the one who found common ground. He knew how to listen to everyone's points of view and make decisions. Bernard was above all a pragmatist. Yes, he was a nationalist. But he was a quiet nationalist,” says Josée Boileau, who was one of the few in Le Devoir who spoke to him informally.
Visionary
“Monsieur Descôteaux,” as he was respectfully known in the room, was at the helm of Le Devoir for 17 years. He is one of the longest-serving directors in the newspaper's history.
These 17 years have not been a long, smooth river. In 2015, when Le Devoir was once again in the red, a voluntary exit plan was implemented. During his tenure as director, Bernard Descôteaux had to deal with the newspaper's decline and was one of the first voices to advocate for government support for the media.
As director, he ensures that Le Devoir stays in the game and takes over the digital twist, but under no circumstances. In 2002, when free access was fashionable in the early days of the Internet, Le Devoir distinguished itself by introducing a paywall on its website. A bold bet that has proven successful, as today most major daily newspapers around the world reserve at least some of their content for their subscribers.
“La Presse had decided to become completely free. Le Devoir's pay bucked the general trend. But it was a very wise decision by Bernard, given how important subscribers are to the financing of the newspaper,” emphasizes Florian Sauvageau, founder of the Center for Media Studies at the University of Laval.
Mr. Sauvageau had asked Bernard Descôteaux to take over as director of the Center for Media Studies when he retired from Le Devoir in 2016. He was in contact with him until recently. Florian Sauvageau will remember him as a discreet but intelligent man. “A quiet strength,” he said.
Intellectual rigor
The same goes for Le Devoir's current editor-in-chief, Marie-Andrée Chouinard, who remembers being hired as a journalist by Bernard Descôteaux in 1996. “Bernard was a quiet force, a man of great wisdom and extraordinary integrity. By working with him, I learned the profession of a journalist and editor, and it was not uncommon for me to arrive at his office with writing anxiety in an attempt to calm myself down. With his incredible memory and wealth of experience, he always had good advice ready. He will remain a valuable leader through all the lessons he left behind,” she said.
The current director of Le Devoir, Brian Myles, who succeeded Bernard Descôteaux in 2016, also emphasized the great integrity of the man who has just left us. “He will have dedicated his entire career to the pursuit of the common good and the advancement of Quebec society and its institutions. Le Devoir was Bernard's extended family. We never forgot him, even after his unfortunately short retirement in 2016. In his free time we keep the memory of a kind, sincere, honest and funny man. Farewell, comrade! ” he wrote.
Le Devoir chief executive André Ryan joined the board in 2012, when Bernard Descôteaux was director of the daily. “He held a prestigious position,” says Mr. Ryan, “but you never got the sense that he was trying to impose his point of view.” » He remembers someone who was involved in the development of an institution “that was part of our Democracy and our Quebec identity is.” And I think he was always aware of that and sometimes maybe even had the burden of it.”
Honors from all sides
Former Quebec premier Pauline Marois worked with Mr. Descôteaux in a professional environment. “For me, Bernard Descôteaux, it was nuance, it was moderation,” she confided to Le Devoir on Sunday, describing the deceased as a “gentleman”. She also underlines the “integrity, the honesty” of a man whose quality of writing she praises. “He believed very much in Quebec, in our shared future. »
Prime Minister François Legault expressed his condolences on Saturday on Channel X “to all those close to Bernard, a brilliant and kind man.” Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon expressed his admiration for Mr. Descôteaux, whom he considers “a mentor.” [et] an inspiration”.
I have always greatly admired Bernard Descôteaux. Calm, considerate and very generous with his time, he always intervened with moderation, objectivity and accuracy, qualities that are becoming increasingly rare today. It makes me very sad to learn that he is no longer…
— Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (@PaulPlamondon) January 13, 2024
“He is an important figure in journalism who has died,” said the president of the Quebec professional association of journalists, Éric-Pierre Champagne.
Bernard Descôteaux is survived by his wife Marie Lavigne, who was notably chairwoman of the Société de la Place des Arts de Montréal and the Conseil du statut de la femme, as well as their two children Alexe and Aubert.
To watch in the video