Rachid M'Barki withdrawn from BFMTV after suspicion of interference

"Legends office" atmosphere at BFMTV.

The Politico site reveals this Thursday the opening by the management of the continuous news channel of an internal investigation targeting Rachid M'Barki and his "Night Diary".

In question, the broadcast on the air of "content not validated" by the editor-in-chief.

According to our information, the journalist – also presenter of “Bring in the accused” on RMC Story – is mainly criticized for having offered briefs, i.e. images commented on live on set, without referring to his hierarchy.

A dozen problematic sequences have already been identified by the management of BFMTV, spanning several months.

Their theme questions: Qatar, Sudan, and other African countries in particular.

Just like their insertion in the JT, often “like a hair in the soup”.

Jobs threatened by the disappearance of Russian oligarchs

"I am criticized for having given information on the air that did not go through the official validation circuits", confirms Rachid M'Barki, joined this Thursday.

And to cite as examples the mention of an economic forum between Morocco and Spain in Dakhla, in Western Sahara, or the jobs threatened on the Côte d'Azur by the disappearance of the Russian oligarchs after the start of the war in Ukraine.

The figure of BFMTV since its launch in 2005 pleads good faith, this information having seemed to him simply "interesting" to give to viewers.

The motivations of the presenter are precisely at the heart of the questions.

In a press release this Thursday, the Society of Journalists of the info channel evokes "suspicions of interference", without giving more details.

“Fantasy”, sweeps Rachid M'Barki, denying these accusations.

Internally, however, speculation is rife.

"He took a small ticket to pass on information", already accuses one of his colleagues.

"It is not excluded that he did this out of simple amateurism or lightness", wants to believe another.

“We are all hallucinated”, sums up a third.

An internal investigation

The management of BFMTV, she, in any case takes the case seriously.

Alerted in January, she launched an internal investigation.

Objective: to find out if Rachid M'Barki acted alone, and to identify the dysfunctions that allowed the arrival on the air of these briefs outside of all the usual internal rules.

“The people who work with him have been heard.

All night loops are being watched to find out how many times it has happened, ”describes a member of the editorial staff.

If it would not have joined the French intelligence services for the moment, the management of BFMTV has already announced that it will take “all” the “legal, judicial, individual and organizational” measures necessary.

Pending the conclusions of the investigation, Rachid M'Barki is "exempted from activity".

Since mid-January, he has been replaced at the head of BFMTV's "Journal de la nuit" by Thomas Joubert.

The story may just be getting started.

“Interference in the service of external interests could go beyond the case of BFMTV, slips a well-informed source.

Other media, both French and international, could be involved.

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