SAccording to an internal note revealed on Wednesday, September 18 by The letterBernard Arnault formulated a message to his troops “absolute prohibition” of ” talk “ with journalists from seven media outlets “Investigative stories that use the public’s attraction to luxury to attract new readers in a promoted way” : The Letter, The Duck in a Chain, Mediapart, Glitz Paris, Puck, Miss Tweed AND the informed one. Even stronger, “all other confidential letters of the same type that exist or may be created” they are worried.
The SDJ (society of journalists), the editorial offices and the associations of journalists who signed this text wish to express their solidarity with the editorial offices of the media affected. They strongly remind us that the mission of the press is not to transmit the official communication of companies and institutions, but to inform, and that this constitutes one of the pillars of democracy.
This episode also underlines, if necessary, the need to protect editorial staff from various pressures, particularly from advertisers and shareholders, through enhanced guarantees of independence.
Beyond the denunciation of the explicit criticisms of the seven media outlets cited – and the implicit disdain of this message for the work of other newsrooms – the signatories of the SDJ salute the courage of those who provide journalists with precious testimonies and valuable information to make their work possible. They carry out their mission on a daily basis.
They remind us that employees enjoy freedom of expression, both inside and outside the company. The obligation of loyalty imposed on them cannot allow their employer to deprive them of their fundamental rights by prohibiting them from any contact with people of their choice. This blanket ban is also illegal because it attempts to override provisions protecting whistleblowers.
The societies of journalists and editors of: Art, AFP, Freeze frames, explosionBFM-TV, Challenges, International Mail, Epsiloon, Franceinfo.frFranceTVinfo, France 24, France 3 national editorial team, France Télévisions national editorial team, Konbini, L’Express, L’Humanité, L’Informé, L’Obs, L’Usine nouvelle, La Tribune, La Vie, Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Nouvel Obs, Le Parisien, Le Point, Les Echos, LibérationM6, Marianne, MediapartNRJ, Premieres Lignes, Radio France, RFI, RTL, Sept à Huit, Southwest, Telerama, TelegramTV5 World, New factory60 million consumers, as well as the Association of Social Information Journalists (AJIS) and the Association of Defense Journalists (AJD), the editorial staff of Miss Tweed, the writing of Released.
