Nice Premium: Franck Viano, you left the role of head of publication at Nice Premium in August 2008 to join the web communications department of the Nice city hall. How is it going?
Franck Viano: Well, it’s going quite well especially since I left Nice Premium in good hands, namely yours. At the city hall, there are many projects, which in my view are useful for the web community in Nice, and as we know, things move very quickly on the web. The web team at the city of Nice is functioning very well and, in my opinion, is one of the best in France in managing a municipal web network. Many city halls pay a fortune to outsource their simple municipal site; in Nice, there are about twenty sites that need to be kept alive, improved, or better referenced.
In short, life is pretty good at the moment, both personally and professionally.
NP: How did the transition go from a media outlet like Nice-Premium to your new responsibilities at the city hall of Nice?
FV: Naturally! I would even say very well… apart from some sharp comments, right here, or colorful emails lambasting the Nice equivalent of Besson or Kouchner of Old Nice.
I certainly don’t regret anything about my career choices, and tomorrow will always be a better day. I’m fortunate to work in a fantastic team, discovering talents every day, which is exciting. Moreover, the Nice 2018 project is a terrific adventure that has brought us nothing but good emotions to this day.
To respond to all those messages criticizing my choice, I would say that it’s not only the man who makes politics but also politics that makes the man. Political barriers should fall when it’s for the good of a city, a department, a region, or a country. Why couldn’t a Besson work with a Sarkozy just as a Viano works happily with an Estrosi??? It’s really time for political mentalities to ‘sustainably’ evolve to offer another way of doing… politics.
NP: So, were you behind the creation of the website for Nice’s pre-candidacy for the 2018 Olympics?
FV: Not alone!!! Julie Tartois, Emmanuel Protte, Benoît Bresson aka Guga, Jean-Marie Boffa on video, and Sébastien Ducasse on graphic design.
Not to forget all the people who helped us gather information or photos.
I admit that it’s one of my favorites, and creating it as a team was also an excellent moment.
When Séguéla’s teams found the production to be of beautiful craftsmanship, it was a great satisfaction for us all.
But there, too, we continue to work on language versions, see you on March 19 for the opening to the world… and not just virtually!
At the backstage, I can tell you that the work at the steering committee was plentiful in putting together a very enticing package.
Days spent designing, creating, communicating with a single goal: Nice 2018.
A great team was built with diverse skills and definite talents, with one thing in common— their first Olympics! The saying goes ‘practice makes perfect,’ and I don’t know if the games are set yet but… we will do everything to bring the Games to Nice!
