2023-07-13 22:01:30
Employees of the “Journal du Dimanche” (“JDD”) in front of their editorial staff on their thirteenth day of strike, in Paris, July 5, 2023. ALAIN JOCARD / AFP
A beginning of decline or a simple tactical retreat? The deep crisis provoked by Sunday newspaper by the arrival of Geoffroy Lejeune, ex-editor of the far-right magazine Current values, continues after three weeks – a first in the title’s seventy-five-year history. Thursday, July 13, the members of the weekly, which entered the bosom of the Bolloré family, voted to renew their strike, which could prevent the publication of the fourth consecutive issue. The management of the Lagardère group, which bears the responsibility for the appointment of Geoffroy Lejeune, is seeking to temporize. Without renouncing the choice of this thirty-year-old who showed his support for Eric Zemmour during the presidential campaign and his “true will to conquer” in the media.
Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Strike at the “JDD”: “I don’t know how I could write an article right now”
The voltage at JDD has just won the political scene, while the presidency of the Republic announced, Thursday, the launch of states general of information, following the attacks of editorialists of Europe 1 and CNews, two media controlled by Vincent Bolloré, against the Minister of National Education, Pap Ndiaye. The journalists of JDDwho asked, in an open letter to the Head of State, to guarantee “the independence of editorial staff and the impartiality of information”welcomed Emmanuel Macron’s announcement to hold these states general promised during the 2022 presidential campaign.
Before this tremor at the highest peak of the state, the unease was gradually increasing within Lagardère News. Each number of JDD not published generates heavy financial losses, evaluated internally at more than 500,000 euros per edition. A cost which contrasts with the lightness of a scene which took place, Friday, July 7, under the eyes of the editorial staff on strike, and which shocked all levels: Geoffroy Lejeune and Charlotte d’Ornellas uncorking bottles of champagne and dancing to variety hits, from Francky Vincent to Diam’s, on a terrace of the Lagardère News headquarters, on the occasion of the Europe 1 end-of-season drink. Asked during a group committee on Tuesday, Arnaud Lagardère let his embarrassment show, explaining that he would not have acted in this way.
Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Emmanuel Macron announces the launch in September of the States General of Information
According to the scenario sketched out over the past few days, Jérôme Béglé, who was to take the reins of Paris Match on August 1, could remain in his position as general manager of the JDD for several more weeks, postponing by as much the entry into office of Geoffroy Lejeune, which was initially to occur at the end of June. The management hopes that during this period of time – the duration of which is the subject of intense discussion – the weekly can reappear. And that one “departure desk” allows employees who so wish to leave the editorial office, individually. For the time being, journalists cannot activate either the conscience clause (as long as a new editorial line is not in place), nor the transfer clause (pending validation by the European Commission of the takeover made by Vincent Bolloré).
You have 30.5% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.
#Lagardère #proposes #delay #arrival #Geoffroy #Lejeune