The new editor-in-chief of the Sunday weekly, known for his positions close to the far right, is facing a strong challenge from his editorial staff.
By HR with AFP
© JOEL SAGET / AFP
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Ihe strike action by the editorial staff of the Sunday newspaper will continue, according to the announcement of the Society of Journalists, the weekly’s union. The journalists of JDD voted almost unanimously to continue the strike started six days ago. This shutdown is expected to continue at least until June 29. The appointment of the journalist known for his positions close to the extreme right Geoffroy Lejeune at the head of the editorial staff is criticized.
In total, 97% of voters voted for the continuation of the movement (90 for, 3 against, 4 who did not decide), detailed the SDJ in a press release, specifying that a new vote would be held Thursday morning. “Despite the scale of the dispute, Arnaud Lagardère”, the CEO of the group of the same name, whose absorption by Vivendi, belonging to Vincent Bolloré, has just been authorized under conditions by Brussels, “maintained this choice in the face of the drafting gathered “, justified the SDJ.
An economic choice, not an ideological one
“Arnaud Lagardère did not reassure the editorial staff”, she lamented on Tuesday, after the visit of the leader who, according to her, “demonstrated his ignorance of the profile of Geoffroy Lejeune, a person whose values are in total contradiction with those of the log “. The appointment of this far-right journalist, former editor of Current valueshas been causing a stir in journalistic and political circles since last week.
Tuesday evening, nearly a thousand people gathered at the call of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) at the Free Theater in Paris to support the strikers and defend their editorial independence as, more broadly, the freedom of the press. “We are going to say no to an ogre (Vincent Bolloré and Vivendi, editor’s note) who devours the news media […] and transforms them into opinion media”, launched Christophe Deloire, secretary general of the organization, in front of an audience made up of several political or union leaders and media personalities.
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This evening of support was added to a forum entitled “Le JDD cannot become a newspaper in the service of far-right ideas” published on Tuesday in The world and signed by more than 650 personalities. Mr. Lagardère assured Monday at Figaro having decided “alone” on the appointment of Geoffroy Lejeune by “economic choice and not at all ideological”, while many see the hand of billionaire Vincent Bolloré, with opinions deemed ultra-conservative.
For the takeover of Lagardère by Vivendi to be effective, the latter must still sell the Editis publishing group and the magazine Galaaccording to the conditions set by Brussels.
