Since leaving CNews in 2022,
Thomas Hugues
has continued to live his life as a journalist on Public Sénat (TNT channel 13) with a current affairs debate program, "Sens Public", every day at 6 p.m.
Surrounded by experts, observers and actors from the political world, he deciphers the news and arbitrates exchanges on the major issues that drive society.
But how to go about it in order to stand out from the competitors - Caroline Roux, David Pujadas, Bruce Toussaint or Christine Kelly - who officiate on the other channels?
"
It's true that there are a lot of talk shows
," admits Thomas Hugues.
We wanted to differentiate ourselves with two things: the time we devote to a subject and the experts we receive.
Explaining changes in society takes time.
I think it's an asset that corresponds to a demand from the public.
Moreover, some of our experts who also go on news channels say that we have more time at home
.
»
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Reacting to the famous journalists' dinner organized at the Élysée Palace by Emmanuel Macron, Thomas Hugues confesses that this does
not "shock
" him but warns about the precarious balance of the exercise: "
We must not fall into complicity and I, I trust each of the journalists who were present
”.
The Public Sénat journalist took the opportunity to tackle RMC editorialist Charles Consigny who had described the French press as
"servile"
: "
On the part of Charles Consigny who navigates between media and politics without ever choosing, I find that he can take it easy on the lessons he gives
.
»
A "casting error" on CNews
Passed by CNews (then called I > Télé) between 2006 and 2008, Thomas Hugues returned there in 2019 before leaving the news channel for good in 2022. In question: the arrival of Éric Zemmour on the air who everything changes.
"
The arrival of Zemmour was the breaking point
," he explains.
We did not know if he came as a journalist-polemicist or as a politician when everyone knew he was in the pre-campaign.
It bothered me and I was not the only one... Some even refused to present his show
.
For Thomas Hugues, the news channel of the Canal+ group remains a news channel even if “
it is also very much an opinion channel now
”.
Don't
“, the journalist then chooses to leave at the end of the season:”
We concluded with CNews that I was a casting error and that I did not correspond to their channel
.
»
Another departure for Thomas Hughes: that of Twitter, which he left last month with a last unequivocal message above.
A radical decision but assumed by the journalist: “
Citizens share content without having checked the journalistic info and that unbalances democracy.
I left Twitter because I mainly subscribed to media and, since the arrival of Elon Musk, the algorithm has undoubtedly changed... I started to see content from people, fachos from left and right to which I did not subscribe, and which I did not want to read.
I closed my account.
»
"Cyril Hanouna does too much, but it's also C8's fault"
Thomas Hughes
When discussing the influence and success of Cyril Hanouna on television and on social networks, Thomas Hugues is the first to say bravo.
“
There is one thing that cannot be taken away from him, and that is success.
The weight and influence it has taken on is a reality.
And I find it normal that politicians also go on his set?
", he comments before weighing his remarks: "
The risk is also to get lost a little ... When you are exposed to this point on a channel that relies a lot on him, the risk is to be less good at a time, to be delighted with the audiences when it is not necessary… So yes, he does too much, but it is also the fault of his channel which exposes him a lot
.
»
A charge against PPDA
Another subject discussed, that of PPDA, of which Thomas Hugues was the joker on the TF1 20-hour newscast between 2001 and 2006. In the case between the former 8 p.m. star and the many women who accuse him of rape and of sexual harassment, Thomas Hughes' support for them is unambiguous.
“
I believe, without a shadow of a doubt, the women who testify against him.
I know and I have worked with some of them and I believe them
", he confesses before adding that he had never been aware of what was going on: "
In 15 years spent at TF1, no one ever came to see me and told me that creepy things were happening in the PPDA office.
We all knew he was a seducer, even if
...” Finally, Thomas Hugues affirms that this word is essential: “
This unpacking is major!
Because there are centuries of silence behind it.
If sometimes there are risks of slippage or media frenzy, this liberation of women's speech is not only necessary but also essential!
“, he concludes.
