Published27. March 2024, 2:08 p.m.
Television: The National Rally “attacks” our teams, pleads Yann Barthès
Those responsible for the program “Quotidien” explained to French MPs why they refuse to invite members of the RN.
Yann Barthès affirmed this Wednesday that journalists from “Quotidien” were victims of “violence on the ground”.
AFP
Those responsible for the show “Quotidien” by Yann Barthès assumed not to invite any member of the RN on set, Wednesday in front of the deputies, arguing that the rules of balance of speaking time were despite this “perfectly respected”.
Not inviting a person in charge of the National Rally is a “collective decision”, and it is “linked to the way in which the editorial journalists experience the treatment inflicted on them by the RN”, assured the producer Laurent Bon (Bangumi company) .
“The RN has been boycotting, discrediting and attacking the “Quotidien” teams for years,” added host and producer Yann Barthès. He criticized this party for “forbidding” access to its meetings to the programme’s journalists, victims according to him of “violence on the ground”.
Both were interviewed by the National Assembly’s Commission of Inquiry into the allocation of digital terrestrial television (DTT) frequencies. They were accompanied by their journalist Julien Bellver and managers of TF1, the group to which TMC belongs, the channel which broadcasts Quotidien.
This hearing had been requested by the RN, which deplores not being invited on the show, a request accepted by the president of the commission, Quentin Bataillon (Renaissance deputy).
“Humanist and anti-racist values”
“I’m not going to tell you that I’m delighted to be there,” said Yann Barthès, in a khaki fleece jacket which contrasted with the elegant suits and ties that he wears on air.
I’m proud of everything we’ve done. I know that this sentence could be used against me, but I say it anyway,” added Mr. Barthès, tense and defensive.
According to him, the “editorial line” of the show is marked by “values of humanism, anti-racism, freedom and equality”.
“All political sensitivities are expressed in the show” and the “legal framework” is “perfectly respected,” argued Ara Aprikian, number 2 of the TF1 group.
Speaking time is controlled by Arcom, the regulator, globally, both on the sets and in the recorded sequences.
New rules?
“It’s not the same level of quality when you can express yourself live,” objected RN deputy Thomas Ménage, accusing “Quotidien” of being “the only program that assumes to exclude part of the political spectrum” .
“If tomorrow you were accredited to our meetings, is it possible that we could be invited to your sets?” he asked.
“We cannot condition” one on the other, replied Mr. Bon.
The rules could change after a recent decision by the Council of State on pluralism in the media.
“If we are asked to receive you, if it is the law, obviously we will,” assured Mr. Bon.
“Jean-Marc sans Jeff Panacloc”
The question of pluralism is at the heart of the work of the commission of inquiry. In recent weeks, she has also interviewed the stars of CNews, including Pascal Praud, and that of C8, Cyril Hanouna.
These channels of the Canal+ group, in the hands of conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré, are accused by left-wing figures of promoting far-right opinions, which they contest.
Competitor of “Quotidien” with his show “Touche pas à mon poste”, Cyril Hanouna made fun of Yann Barthès on the social network notes.
It’s “Jean-Marc without Jeff Panacloc,” joked Mr. Hanouna, referring to a puppet and his famous ventriloquist.
After the heads of “Quotidien”, the commission was to hear, behind closed doors, the billionaire Rodolphe Saadé. His group, the shipowner CMA CGM, is in the process of buying Altice’s media, including BFMTV and RMC radio.
(afp)