The Society of Journalists (SDJ) Paris Match said on Friday December 22 its disagreement with the choice of the “front page” of the last issue, devoted to a Christmas nativity scene in a Parisian home belonging to the main shareholder of the weekly, Vincent Bolloré. The SDJ “is deeply concerned about the evolution of the magazine’s editorial line and asks the management of Lagardère News for clarification”she wrote on.
With the title “A Christmas of Hope”, the front page shows this illuminated nativity scene and its figurines, at the Jean-Bosco home, which welcomes students in the 16e district of the capital. This photo is not “not taken from a report in the magazine” And “we note that subjects like the reconstruction of Notre-Dame or Miss France, for example, developed within the magazine, have not had the honors of our cover”, deplores the Society of Journalists. However, one article in this edition is devoted to the tradition of nativity scenes, another to “the saga of the santons”.
“Breaking with the identity of our magazine”
The SDJ questions “on these new signatures outside the newspaper, known for their positions as traditionalist Catholics” and whose articles “are more of a religious presentation than a report”. “We are concerned about what seems to us to be a new editorial line”concludes the association, asking for clarifications “on this development, breaking with the identity of our magazine”.
Questioned by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the management of Lagardère News did not wish to comment. Lagardère, which owns Paris Match, The JDD and Europe 1, has since November 21 been under the full control of Vivendi, a large specialist media group controlled by the family of billionaire Vincent Bolloré, with opinions reputed to be ultraconservative and himself close to traditionalist Catholic circles.
The three main editorial offices of the Lagardère group have regularly experienced turmoil since this gradual takeover. In the summer of 2022, the former editor-in-chief of politics and economics Paris Match Bruno Jeudy was removed from this post after the publication of a “front page” contested by the SDJ, dedicated to the ultraconservative cardinal Robert Sarah. A motion of no confidence was passed against the management.
He was replaced by Laurence Ferrari, also a presenter on CNews, owned by Vivendi. In June, a member of the SDJ from Paris Matchwho had been concerned about interference by Mr. Bolloré in the editorial choices of the magazine, had been fired.