We cannot “condition an accreditation to an invitation on set”, insisted the star presenter.
Yann Barthès, presenter of the program “Quotidien” and producer of the Bangumi company, was interviewed this Wednesday by the National Assembly's commission of inquiry into the allocation of TNT frequencies at the request of the National Rally, which accuses the show of not respecting political pluralism.
All in a tense climate.
“We are summoned at the request of five deputies from the National Front... From the National Rally,” began the TF1 television presenter, as reported by the Parliamentary Channel, before continuing: “I'm not going to tell you that I'm delighted to be there, but it’s an experience nonetheless.”
Described as the “church of right-thinking”
“If the request comes from the National Rally, the decision was indeed taken by the presidency, that is to say by myself,” retorted the president of the TNT commission of inquiry, Quentin Bataillon, setting the tone exchanges in this room which has already welcomed Cyril Hanouna and Vincent Bolloré.
Yann Barthès was notably auditioned alongside the manager of Bangumi Laurent Bon and the columnist for the same show, Julien Bellver.
During these discussions, the decision of “Quotidien” not to invite RN elected officials was discussed at length.
Yann Barthès took the opportunity to list the hostile declarations of the RN or “violence” suffered by the teams on the ground.
“I consider that they are not journalists”, “we accredit journalists not activists”, declared Marine Le Pen in 2022, according to her words.
The show has also reportedly been called “the church of righteousness.”
Relations with the RN: Yann Barthès exhibits a list of “violence” suffered by the Quotidien teams, “particularly on the ground”.
“The list is there.”#DirectAN #Quotidien #TNT pic.twitter.com/edOWayDPOV
— LCP (@LCP) March 27, 2024
Pluralism
Yann Barthès declared on air, at the beginning of March, that “we do not receive members of the National Rally but we scrupulously respect (the fairness) of speaking times” thanks to extracts from broadcasts and reports.
He said on Wednesday, however, that he was ready to invite elected officials from the far-right party, if he was forced to do so: “If we are asked to receive you, if it is the law, obviously, we will do it.
» “Why did you absolutely want to come on a show that you don’t like?
“, he still asked.
The Council of State ordered Arcom to strengthen control of political pluralism on television channels.
And it is on the subject of this pluralism that Thomas Ménage requested the commission.
“Pluralism applies to CNews as well as to TMC, which refuses to invite certain political parties,” the elected official said on X.