Vincent Bolloré endangers the editorial independence of journalism, says Reporters Without Borders

“Vincent Bolloré is one of those who endanger the editorial independence of journalism”estimated Tuesday June 27 on franceinfo Christophe Deloire, secretary general of Reporters without borders, while the drafting of the Sunday newspaper is on strike until Wednesday to try to prevent the arrival of Geoffroy Lejeune, ex-director of the far-right weekly Current values.

>> Why the editorial staff of the “Journal du dimanche” opposes the appointment of Geoffroy Lejeune as head of the weekly

On Tuesday, the shareholder of JDD Arnaud Lagardère defends in Le Figaro the appointment of Geoffroy Lejeune, citing a “economic choice”, unrelated, he assures, with Vincent Bolloré, who has just officially taken control of the newspaper. Christophe Deloire explains that he is not “not sure to recognize accents of sincerity in this interview”.

“We rather have the impression of a boss who has a gun to his head and who makes decisions by anticipation, to please whoever takes power.”

Christophe Deloire, Secretary General of Reporters Without Borders

on franceinfo

The NGO warns about the system put in place by Vincent Bolloré which “in all the media where he passes, has processes which consist in ousting all those who do not show themselves servile and in transforming the media into media of opinion”. “It works by intimidation, when it is not by terror”he adds.

We “must put safeguards in place”

Christophe Deloire recalls the importance of “editorial independence wherever you are in the political field”. He therefore considers it necessary to have in the media “a pluralism, with a diversity of editorial lines, but securing for journalism its honesty”. The secretary general of RSF pleads in particular for “respect for methodology, implementation of ethical principles” and the establishment of “forms of protection”. He mentions in particular the European Media Freedom Act, the future European legislation on freedom of the media.

For the NGO, it “we need to put safeguards in place”because this “What is at stake here is the citizens’ right to information”. “If we reason by saying that anyone with money can buy a newspaper, broadcast whatever they want and replace journalistic logics with logics of commercial or ideological intention, then we will be struggling with large propaganda machines, on the right as well as on the left, which will serve commercial interests”, protests Christophe Deloire. He judges such a scenario “extremely dangerous”.