LESCURE, MESSIER
TOGETHER AGAIN

Canal Plus Chief Pierre Lescure last week shot down the rampant rumors of his pending departure from the company, stating "I am here and I'm staying here."

Lescure addressed employees at a three-hour meeting in Paris Wednesday (11/22) evening that circled around the $34 billion merger of Vivendi and Seagram and the ceaseless rumblings of his future at Canal Plus as the deal moves towards completion.

Vivendi Chairman Jean-Marie Messier, Lescure's boss and his co-host for the evening, also addressed the rumors. "We'll end up by wringing our necks with all this idiocy—and we'll do it together," said Messier, according to an employee at the meeting, Inside.com reports. "Pierre Lescure is the best boss for the future of Canal Plus."

The meeting was called specifically to answer questions, stop rumors and allay fears that have been plaguing the company as the merger has moved forward.

Unrelated to the staff meeting, Canal Plus announced that the shareholders' meeting that had been scheduled for Dec. 5 to vote on the three-way merger was postponed until Dec. 8 "for technical reasons."