Most newsrooms have contributed to the emergence of the Zemmour phenomenon. This falls within the mercantile logic of media “buzz,” exponentially amplified by social networks. The gigantic media store voraciously feeds on controversies.
Cunning, Eric Zemmour has understood this perfectly. I suspect him of taking positions he doesn’t privately adhere to, simply for the pleasure of causing confusion! He would rightly retort that it’s a matter of intention.
Overexposure
One thing is certain. Now, it is imperative within each newsroom to question the editorial responsibility regarding the over-coverage of the meetings and gatherings of the Figaro columnist. The issue is not to censor Eric Zemmour but to analyze the factors that have brought him to the forefront of the political scene. Consequently, his actions should be treated with moderation. On October 25, over 160 journalists signed an op-ed in Mediapart. On behalf of a collective called “Journalists Not Complicit in Hatred,” these colleagues describe themselves as journalists “respectful of democratic values.” They assert their intention to “disguise” and even “combat” certain political figures.
Without ever naming him, they target Eric Zemmour. They believe that journalists who deal “with glee” with the ideas of the Figaro columnist are “complicit in the worst ideology”: “fascism.”
This incitement to erase the Zemmour figure from the political landscape can resemble a certain form of censorship. This might lead him to present himself as a “victim” of the media system. It’s a breach he might exploit.
The necessary self-criticism of the profession
In the face of media “Zemmourization,” it’s time for a clear-eyed self-critique of our profession. As initiated many years ago by Jean-François Khan.
He railed against an old journalistic practice known as “panurgism.” The media, like Panurge’s sheep, cover the same topics and copy one another. At the slightest intervention by Eric Zemmour, they cover it.
Haunted by the fear of missing a scoop, they contribute to amplifying the real political weight of the probable candidate. Few are the newsrooms that have chosen not to cover anything related to the Figaro columnist.
To inform is to make choices: without ideological bias. And even filming Eric Zemmour aiming an assault rifle at journalists at the international security exhibition!
Paul Barelli, Club de la Presse 06
