The JDD editorial staff, on strike for 16 days against the appointment of Geoffroy Lejeune (former Valeurs Actuelles), asked Emmanuel Macron on Saturday to “take advantage of the issues of independence of the press as soon as possible”, in a letter published by Ouest -France.
A “new blow to media independence”
“Many personalities and organizations have publicly shown us their support,” recalls the newsroom in this open letter.
“Mais à l’exception de quelques rares expressions de ministeres, la discrétion a prévalua du côté de l’écutif qui semble ainsi avaliser ce nouveau coup porté à l’indépendance des médias”, estimate-t-elle, craignant de “mourir dans the silence”.
Although Arnaud Lagardère, head of the group that owns the JDD, denies it, many observers see in the appointment of Geoffroy Lejeune, a journalist marked on the extreme right, the hand of billionaire Vincent Bolloré, with opinions described as ultra-conservative.
In fact, it arrives just after the green light given under conditions by Brussels to Vivendi, Vincent Bolloré’s group, to swallow Lagardère (Paris Match, Europe 1, Hachette…).
Before a third consecutive Sunday without the publication of the JDD, the renewal of the movement had been widely adopted as expected on Saturday (90 in favor, 3 against, 8 who did not decide), until Tuesday 9:30 am and a new meeting. of employees, according to the Society of Journalists (SDJ) of the title.
“If the appointments in a press company are obviously under private law, the information is not a commodity like the others,” the JDD editorial staff advances in its letter, insisting on the “urgency” of guaranteeing “editorial independence and the informative impartiality”. “. Therefore, he asks the president to “take this issue as quickly as possible. First by taking a public position on this decisive issue, then by changing the legal framework.”
The Minister of Culture is concerned, Véran kicks in contact
Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak received a delegation of JDD journalists last week, just days after expressing deep concern over “republican values” on Twitter.
“It is not up to the State today to interfere in the choice of a wording of the private domain”, said Olivier Véran, government spokesman, on June 27 in the National Assembly, without specifying the date of the “States General of Law to information”, promised by the candidate Macron.
A strike fund was opened to support this unprecedented move – the previous strike in 2016 had affected just one publication Sunday – and a petition was launched, collecting more than 38,600 signatures on Saturday.
Source: BFM TV
