The fear of establishing a landmark precedent. A good part of the France Télévisions editorial staff has oscillated between concern and dismay since the decision of the director of information, Alexandre Kara, was made known internally. Friday January 19, journalists working on magazines (“Additional investigation”, “Envoyé Spécial”, “1:15 p.m.”) of the public audiovisual group have been asked to take a break in their investigations concerning the portraits of political leaders between now and the European elections which will take place on June 9 in France.
Questioned on this subject by the Society of Journalists (SDJ) of France Télévisions, during a meeting on Wednesday January 24, Alexandre Kara confirmed and assumed. This pause is justified, according to him, out of concern for respect for pluralism and to leave the priority of political coverage to debate broadcasts, he explained again the next day during a Social and Economic Committee (CSE). And this four and a half months before the European elections, while speaking time is closely scrutinized by the Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (Arcom).
A somewhat short argument according to the editorial staff, for whom putting the investigation on hold regarding political leaders risks opening Pandora’s box. If the editorial team understands the challenge of having personalities from all parties in its programs – particularly in “L’Evènement”, a program in which the group has invested massively and which would find itself weakened without a political guest – “It is a form of blackmail, a fool’s bargain, which may give rise to even more extravagant demands in the future”fears a journalist.
Formal notice
Internally, the temporality of Alexandre Kara’s decision raises questions all the more as it occurs less than a week after the broadcast of an issue of “Additional investigation” devoted to Jordan Bardella, the president of the Rally national. This was broadcast despite a formal notice from the far-right party which asked to delete a 52-minute passage. In question ? Revelations on the supposed use by Mr. Bardella of an anonymous Twitter account which broadcast racist messages, which the latter disputes. The president of the RN has attacked the show several times in recent days, notably in “TPMP” on C8, a channel owned by billionaire Vincent Bolloré.
After this broadcast, Jordan Bardella as well as the former presidential candidate Marine Le Pen would have cast doubt on their future participation in the broadcasts of the public television group, the management of the public group argued to its teams. “They’re not the only ones doing this”slips a manager.
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