Daniel Bilalian, an iconic figure of French television news, passed away on May 14, 2025, at 78 years old. He leaves behind a body of work marked by rigor, a commitment to facts, and a sober tone. For over forty years, he embodied public information imbued with ethics and consistency. Indeed, this contrasts with the dominant logics of spectacle and polarized debate today.
His face, familiar to the French, was that of the 8 PM news on Antenne 2, then on France 2, where he imposed a deep and calm voice, a style against the grain of grandstanding. Thus, his passing not only marks the end of a career. It seals the memory of journalism of conviction, committed to the ideal of public service.
Born in Paris in 1947, Bilalian grew up between two heritages. One, earthy, from his mother originally from Pas-de-Calais. The other, painful, from his Armenian refugee father, carrying a wounded memory. These contrasting roots nurtured in him a keen sense of responsibility and moderation.
After studying law in Lille, he began in 1968 at the newspaper L’Union de Reims. There, he honed his perspective in the field. In 1971, he joined the ORTF, at a time when public television was undergoing its first major transformations. His impeccable diction and seriousness quickly established him as a reliable professional. He climbed the ranks quietly but with remarkable consistency.
A career marked by high standards
Daniel Bilalian became successively a senior reporter, then presenter of the 1 PM and 8 PM news. He covered major international events, led several election night broadcasts, and created television magazines, including Star à la barre and Mardi soir. Faithful to a sober and demanding line, he refused any excessive dramatization. His implicit motto could be: to show without seeking to dazzle.
This style, sometimes perceived as distant, barely concealed his deep attachment to current events. He viewed the television news as a civic tool, a thread stretched between facts and citizens. His words were rare but always measured. A consistency that earned him respect and distrust, admiration and criticism.
In 2004, he was appointed director of the sports department of France Télévisions. This position, which he held until 2016, marked a turning point. He oversaw the coverage of major events, such as the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and those in Rio in 2016. His management then sparked controversies, strikes, and motions of no confidence, notably for his programming choices. He faced these criticisms unflinchingly: "When you are at the center of the news, you are at the center of criticism."
A man of convictions, loyal to his "home"
Daniel Bilalian never left France Télévisions, which he affectionately called his "home." He embodied a generation of journalists from a certain republican school of information. Indeed, the neutrality of tone and rigor of writing are the pillars of credibility.
His colleagues paid tribute to him. Patrick Chêne, a former colleague from the sports department, praised a "professional of great moral elegance." Gérard Holtz spoke, moved, of "a friend and a great boss." As for Pierre Lescure, he recalled how much Bilalian was a "model of freedom within the institution."
A discreet but assumed withdrawal
In 2016, Bilalian quietly withdrew from the screens. He began a new life between Neuilly-sur-Seine, where he became a municipal councilor. Additionally, he discovered Île-aux-Moines, a peaceful haven nestled in the Gulf of Morbihan. It was there, between the tides and the pines, that he married Frédérique Renimel, an editorial manager at France 2, in 2020. "Islands know how to protect you," he said in an interview with Ouest-France.
Away from the hustle and bustle of studios, he devoted himself to writing. He published three books with Presses de la Cité, blending professional memories and reflections on the media. In them, we discover a man of letters, modest, with a sharp eye on contemporary media coverage. His withdrawal is that of a wise man, at peace with his choices. However, this displeased those who attributed a rivalry with Arlette Chabot to him.
A lesson in old-fashioned integrity
Daniel Bilalian‘s career spans half a century of media transformations. From the ORTF to digital platforms, he experienced all the changes without ever sacrificing his principles. This fidelity to a certain idea of information makes him an ethical benchmark at a time when lines are blurred.
His passing evokes a singular emotion. The kind that comes with the loss of a reassuring voice, a figure that inspired trust. In a world saturated with opinion and noise, Bilalian chose the clarity of facts, perspective, and respect for the viewer. He knew that information is a common good, not to be bartered.
With him fades a last bastion of traditional journalism. One of calm voices, facts before effects. A school of high standards, methodical doubt, patient transmission. A way of being a journalist that, more than a profession, was for him a way of being in the world.