Journalists at France’s main Sunday newspaper introduced Tuesday that they had been ending one of many longest media strikes in latest French historical past, however they predicted that dozens would possibly resign to protest the appointment of an editor with a far-right monitor document as the brand new editor in chief.
The employees of Le Journal du Dimanche, identified for its interviews with authorities leaders and largely centrist coverage evaluation, stated it had determined to name off a 40-day walkout after it turned clear that the paper’s soon-to-be new proprietor, the French billionaire Vincent Bolloré, wouldn’t rescind the appointment. Workers members stated that they had little selection however to work with the brand new management or depart their jobs.
The brand new editor, Geoffroy Lejeune, who previously led a far-right French journal that was fined for publishing racist insults, was scheduled to take up his new submit on Tuesday. Phrase of his appointment at The JDD, because the paper is thought, had ignited a firestorm in French media and political circles, elevating issues {that a} main mainstream information outlet could possibly be reworked right into a right-wing platform. Earlier than the uproar, about 100 journalists labored on the Paris paper.
“In the present day, Geoffroy Lejeune takes workplace. He’ll enter an empty newsroom,” the JDD journalists’ union stated in a press release. “Dozens of journalists are refusing to work with him and can depart The JDD.”
The paper has been absent from newsstands for six weeks — solely the second time it has missed publication in its 75-year historical past — since journalists walked out in mid-June after Mr. Lejeune was abruptly appointed simply forward of Mr. Bolloré’s takeover. This summer season, Mr. Bolloré is about to safe a majority stake in Lagardère Group, a conglomerate that owns The JDD and Paris Match journal.
In a press release, the Lagardère Group stated the weekly print editions would resume publication in mid-August.
The journalists’ union stated Mr. Lejeune’s backing of a right-leaning editorial line, together with anti-immigrant language and help for the far-right author and presidential candidate Éric Zemmour, mirrored values that had been “in complete contradiction with these of the JDD.” Lejeune, 34, has not issued any public statements aside from a short Twitter message saying he was honored to take the helm. The fitting-leaning journal Valeurs Actuelles fired him final yr amid a dispute with the proprietor over editorial path.
The drama at The JDD revived longstanding issues over press freedom in a rustic the place over four-fifths of privately owned newspapers and TV and radio stations are owned by French or overseas billionaires or financiers.
After quite a few protests by JDD journalists and a letter of help signed by a whole bunch of lecturers, economists, cultural figures and left-leaning politicians, Parliament is contemplating a measure that may enable journalists at newspapers that obtained authorities subsidies, similar to The JDD, to have a say over the selection of editor in chief. President Emmanuel Macron additionally introduced a collection of public hearings in September on easy methods to strengthen press independence.
The JDD’s direct proprietor, the Lagardère conglomerate, which basically reviews to Bolloré, stated it alone had the correct to put in a brand new editor.
