An editorial line breaking with its history. About fifty former members of Europe 1 expressed their “solidarity” on Sunday towards their colleagues at the station, who have been on strike since Friday. They denounce the “serious and imminent danger” which threatens according to them the radio of the Lagardère group, “under the pressure of Vincent Bolloré”, its main shareholder.
In a column published on the site of the day The world, Philippe Alfonsi, Anne Sinclair, Ivan Levaï, Stéphane Paoli or even Jean-Michel Aphatie are worried about the “establishment” of a “partisan editorial line in total rupture with the long history” of Europe 1, while bridges are being considered with CNews, the news channel of the Canal + group, a subsidiary of Vivendi, controlled by billionaire Vincent Bolloré.
“Indignant at the violence done” to employees
“Before” the Canal spirit “, there was” the Europe 1 spirit “, often rebellious and impertinent, but never partisan,” write the signatories of the text, bringing their “total solidarity” to the employees of the station, on strike “For the first time in over sixty years”. “The responsibilities in the current disaster” of Europe 1 “are multiple. But its main shareholder had never tried to make it a partisan political toy and a speaker of the hatreds which stir up our political debate ”, they are alarmed.
These former members of the station also say that they are “particularly outraged by the violence done” to employees wanting to “express simply and clearly their legitimate concerns”. The strike was voted on Friday in the general assembly to protest against a disciplinary sanction procedure targeting a journalist, after an altercation with a human resources employee, against a background of growing unease between the departure plan and the proposed merger with CNews.
“Very minimal” disruptions
Like Saturday, the movement caused “very minimal” disruption to the air on Sunday, according to management, but weekends are mainly provided by precarious workers. There may be “small repercussions on election night but in any case it will not be disturbed,” added the management, without being able, for the time being, to comment on the impact of the strike on Monday morning, more developer.
In support of the strikers and the freedom of the press, the SNJ-CGT and the SNRT-CGT Audiovisual are also calling for a rally on Monday at 9 a.m. in front of the headquarters of Europe 1 in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. The employees of Europe 1 will meet in general assembly from 10 am to decide on the consequences of the movement.