By Jessica Reed
A journalist who criticizes me is a journalist who doesn't know me - Nicolas Sarkozy.
The latent "Berlusconisation" of the media is a term I have now heard a couple of time on French radio as commenters are referring to Nicolas Sarkozy's huge circle of influencial friends in the press, on the radio or television. Already the major french media present the upcoming french election as a choice to be made between only two candidates: Nicolas Sarkozy versus Segolene Royale, forgetting along the way many head of parties such as centrist candidate Francois Bayrou, who recently pointed out (in french) the current atmosphere of "telepopulism" (article in french) and unfair coverage of the upcoming spring elections.
Acording to Le Monde Diplomatique, the right wing UMP candiate and Minister of the Interior Nicolas Sarkozy has been working on building his own network of friends in the media world for more than 20 years, which he "plans on using for his supreme ambitions". Martin Bouyues, billionaire and main stock-holder of tf1 -the biggest and arguably most influential french tv channel- is Sarkozy son's godfather, as Arnaud Lagardère, media magnate, referred to him "not as a friend, but as a brother". And the list goes on and on (Le Monde Diplomatique article, in french).
Some may ask how these friendships may be effectively brought to life. On tf1, for example, an incredible amount of newsreaders choose to editorialise their bulletins on the suburbs' so-called "climate of insecurity", choosing Sarkozy as the police forces' only spokesperson.The Minister of the Interior seems to love it, using provocative terms such as "cleaning up the streets" of the infamous suburbs of 4000", or referring to the suburbian youth as "racailles" (thugs), which assures him more media buzz. This dynamic eventually made way for Francois Holland, Secretary of the Socialist party, to ironically call his opponent the "new 8'clock national newsreader".
After spending a couple of hours in front of the national television channels, it certainly sounds like a correct statement to me.
