More than 200 BFM-TV journalists have called on the channel’s management to take concrete steps over what they describe as the normalisation of racist and discriminatory remarks on air. In a letter sent on Wednesday, November 4, the journalists said they wanted to distance the broadcaster from what they called an image of a racist channel that does not reflect their beliefs.
The Society of Journalists (SDJ) said the issue was particularly concerning six months ahead of the presidential election. It warned that appeals to pluralism should not be used to excuse discriminatory statements, and said impartiality must not be confused with indulgence. The letter followed a general meeting held on Monday.
Among the journalists’ requests are that presenters consistently and clearly challenge discriminatory remarks, and that the channel improve its oversight of guests to avoid problematic figures and repeated appearances by the same people. They also want reporting to take priority over studio debates and more balanced coverage of demonstrations, arguing that live broadcasts should not focus only on scenes of violence.
The concerns come amid accusations from La France insoumise and its leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, that BFM-TV has relayed racist remarks, including through interviews with far-right figure Eric Zemmour. The channel has rejected those accusations. Some BFM-TV journalists have also faced hostility while reporting in the field, according to the account of events. Earlier in the week, 160 technicians from the RMC-BFM group separately wrote to management to criticise what they described as the gradual normalisation of far-right ideas on BFM-TV.
Before the journalists’ letter was sent, CMA Media, the group that owns BFM-TV and RMC, announced two steps. It will create a unit to centralise interview requests for political figures and broaden the range of profiles invited onto its channels. It also plans to publish a monthly report on pluralism, covering the diversity of guests, contributors and political currents represented.
Jean-Philippe Baille, CMA Media’s deputy managing director for news, said the measures did not signal a change in editorial policy or an admission of the accusations. He said the group rejected claims that its channels normalise racism and noted that it had received no reports from France’s audiovisual regulator, Arcom. Baille added that inviting a public figure does not mean endorsing their views, and said the channel’s responsibility is to question guests, verify their claims and challenge them with facts when necessary.
The management also expressed its support for presenter Sonia Mabrouk, who has faced internal criticism in recent months after joining BFM-TV from CNews. Baille described the criticism of her as an unacceptable destabilisation campaign and praised her professionalism and independence.
Sources: Le Monde Politique.