an “anti-Bolloré” Grand Prize awarded to journalists from JDD and Paris Match

The 16th International Journalism Conference in Tours rewarded two journalists’ companies on Thursday March 30: those of the Sunday newspaper and of Paris Matchtwo weeklies now majority-owned by billionaire Vincent Bolloré and whose journalists criticize the takeover.

Also, no one was found to pick up the Michèle Leridon Grand Prize in person, awarded by this jury of professionals to the societies of journalists from the JDD and of Paris Match. The members of the two SDJs, as the societies of journalists in the newsrooms are called, declined the invitation for fear of reprisals. It is therefore Patrick Cohen, journalist for France Culture and France 5 and member of the SDJ of Europe 1 who spoke in their place.

Absent for fear of reprisals

“The winners are therefore absentlaunches Patrick Cohen, all the more reason to send these collectives a powerful message of empathy and support. And it is up to public opinion and political decision-makers to repeat this observation: this is where predatory shareholders who prefer to destroy what they cannot control lead us.

Very harsh words, but which reflect the ambient climate in Paris Matchmainly, where many journalists have preferred to jump ship in recent months, one of them even brandishing its conscience clause, and this, while the takeover bid by Vivendi and Vincent Bolloré for the Lagardère group is still awaiting the green light from the European Commission.

Society of Journalists Paris Match have been denouncing for several months editorial choices and hussarious management in press releases or during meetings with management, but its members are not protected as those of a union can be. This price is supposed to bring them a little protection, unless, confides a journalist from Paris Match at franceinfo, that this complicates our task internally even more.