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Michel LECOMTE
Sports journalist
Michel Lecomte is a Belgian sports journalist best known for his long career at RTBF, the main public TV broadcaster in Belgium, where he became one of the most influential figures in the broadcasting of football in French‑speaking Europe.
Michel Lecomte joined RTBF in 1980, first as a regional sports reporter before moving to the Brussels sports desk in 1986 and eventually becoming head of the sports department in 2003. From that strategic position, he oversaw editorial choices and played a key role in shaping RTBF’s football coverage, including World Cups, European Championships and Belgian domestic competitions.
As head of sports, Michel Lecomte was closely involved in the negotiation and exploitation of television rights in an environment marked by growing competition and platform fragmentation. He has explained how RTBF approached rights packages that combined traditional linear television with digital exploitation on Auvio, negotiating to secure simulcast and multi‑match options that would maximise public access while preserving value for rights holders. Under his guidance, RTBF regained rights to the UEFA Europa League and used them to strengthen its channel La Deux, demonstrating his understanding of how rights strategy, audience share and public‑service obligations intersect.
Michel Lecomte has also been an articulate voice on the economics and geopolitics of football broadcasting, commenting on the impact of French channels overspilling into Belgium and how audience figures on TF1 or other foreign broadcasters influence rights pricing and bargaining power for Belgian operators. His decades of experience allowed him to navigate the balance between budget constraints, competition from private players and the need to offer major football events free‑to‑air.
Beyond negotiations, Michel Lecomte anchored flagship television programmes such as Match 1, Week‑End Sportif and La Tribune, where he helped translate complex issues around rights, scheduling and competition formats into accessible debates for viewers.
This combination of editorial leadership, on‑air presence and hands‑on involvement in rights strategies has made Michel Lecomte a reference in the broadcasting and negotiation of football television rights in Belgium and, more broadly, in the European media landscape.
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