It’s 2 p.m. on Monday, May 6. On the France Inter airwaves, Jean’s voice, tinged with sadness, crackles. Then that of Martine, “ scandalized »or even Suzanne, “ stunned ». “ At the very moment when the media have a duty to talk better and more about ecology, a flagship program on the subject is being canceled », she laments. A bit annoyed, Dominique punctuates: “ Strength to you, and long life ! »
Usually happy and mobilizing, the answering machine “ Earth squared » changed from your Monday. Before a new episode of France Inter’s eco-show begins – in which every month Reporterre —, its presenter Mathieu Vidard declared: “ As I speak to you, it has been recorded that “The Earth squared” in its current form would disappear at the start of the school year. This is not a choice on our part. »
Three days earlier, the newspaper The world revealed the tempestuous atmosphere reigning in the corridors of the Radio France Round House. Summoned in turn, several journalists from France Inter learned of the reduction or elimination of their broadcasts or columns, starting next season. And Mathieu Vidard’s team has not escaped the big clean-up orchestrated by the station director, Adèle Van Reeth.
If the show’s time slot is maintained, some voices will disappear from the airwaves. Starting with Anaëlle Verzaux and her weekly column “ The day when », and Giv Anquetil, whose large monthly formats took listeners to the four corners of the world. Even more surprising, Camille Crosnier, in a pair with Mathieu Vidard, also sees his microphone cut. Until now, the journalist has intervened in each episode, confronting leaders, bosses and elected officials with their contradictions on ecology. Contacted by Reporterrethe show’s journalists did not wish to speak.
France Inter at the pace of Bolloré
The name and editorial content of this daily meeting also risk being disrupted. always in The worlda spokesperson for France Inter ensures that the evolution of the program “ towards more ecological and scientific stories » is a wish from Mathieu Vidard. False, the person concerned replied live on May 6. If he doesn’t hide the team’s desire “ to develop the show by imagining a new formula, […] with a different structure and narration »this should include “ all the ingredients that have built the identity of “The Earth squared” ».
Unfortunately, this proposal was not accepted. At least for the moment : “ We have not spoken about your struggles on the ground for five years only to stop at the first obstacle that comes along », he specifies. The producer affirms his desire, stronger than ever, “ to defend the show so that it retains its backbone, its strength, its vitality and above all its commitment at the heart of the ecological crisis that we are going through ».
The other justification, mentioned by management, is the need to make information “ less anxiety-inducing ». A dubious argument when we listen to listeners testify to the happiness and desire to act that the show gives them: “ This is what we need todayensures Reporterre the activist Mathilde Caillard, known for her techno-demonstrations. We don’t need the public service to smooth over dramatic news to preserve our comfort. We are not looking to be comfortable with the climate crisis. What we want is to act. »
In the eyes of the activist, France Inter “ is in tune with a new era, dictated by a billionaire with a clear political agenda » : “ Public service must not fall into the tempo of the extreme right and Bolloré », she warns. Because far beyond “ Earth squared », other figures see the end clap approaching with great strides. Charlotte Perry, and her portraits of everyday heroes painted with sensitivity in “ French lives »or even Antoine Chao and his 18-minute sound snapshot discovering environmental and social struggles, called “ It’s almost tomorrow »are about to close their microphone.
“ These shows rocked my childhoodcontinues Mathilde Caillard. I listened to them with my mother, on the way to school or at home, on her transistor radio. For many, these voices are like friends. They sometimes draw out loneliness, give strength and offer bursts of hope. Especially since the management is tackling committed broadcasts, talking about struggle and resistance in the face of climate-killing projects. » Charlotte Perry, Antoine Chao, Anaëlle Verzaux and Giv Anquetil all four learned their scales alongside Daniel Mermet, in the emblematic show – leaning to the left – “ There if I am there » – which was also, in 2014, removed from France Inter.
General mobilization
Ecology and struggles are not the only victims of this sequence: political satire, embodied by Guillaume Meurice, also takes the uppercuts. On May 2, on his X account, the comedian revealed that he had been summoned to “ a prior interview with a view to possible disciplinary sanction ». Until then, he is prohibited from speaking on the airwaves. The management of Radio France criticizes the columnist for once again describing Benyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, as a “ kind of Nazi without foreskin »April 28 in the show “ The Great Sunday evening ».
A confusing decision, as the complaints filed against Guillaume Meurice for this sentence had been dismissed by the courts. In the show on Sunday, May 5, comedian Djamil Le Shlag resigned live: “ There is more freedom on CNews than on France Interhe quipped. I will send my resume to Pascal Praud. » Producer companies (SDPI) and journalists (SDJ) of the station also hear the ring of rebellion: “ We refuse what appears to us to be a serious attack on the pluralism of the antenna »they declared in an unpublished joint press release, released internally on May 3.
The beginnings of an unprecedented mobilization at the Round House ? One thing is certain: the next few days will be decisive. On May 6, at the end of the day, the SDPI met with management to denounce these abuses. If the content of the exchanges has not yet been revealed, a France Inter producer deplores Reporterre that the exchanges did not go well. In the evening, https://twitter.com/CGT_-/status/1787568691028148624 was submitted for Sunday May 12 by the Radio France unions, “ in defense of freedom of expression ».
