Invited on the set of Quotidien, the director of France Inter Adèle Van Reeth once again had to explain the dismissal of Guillaume Meurice which occurred two days ago.
Faced with Yann Barthès, she clarifies above all that the affair does not infringe on freedom of expression on the radio station. “If I am here this evening, it is because this decision does not infringe on freedom on France Inter, which is after all the comedians’ channel, the channel of freedom of expression”, she introduces.
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On May 2, Guillaume Meurice was deprived of the airwaves for having repeated, a few days earlier, his joke about Netanyahu, which had, in particular, earned him legal proceedings last October. This time, the management of Radio France decided on June 11 to do without the comedian’s services and to fire him for “serious misconduct”.
Adèle Van Reeth provides details on the dismissal, justifying that Guillaume Meurice was not sanctioned for his joke, but for his “attitude following the joke”. However, she recalls that he had been sanctioned for his comments about the Israeli president, with a call to order from the president of Radio France Sybile Veil. “The controversies were then fueled and a few weeks ago, he decided to repeat his remarks on the air”, she adds.
After the dismissal of Guillaume Meurice, three comedians leave France Inter
On the set of Quotidien, the question of attitude raises questions. “How can we characterize his attitude?”, asks Yann Barthès. “He would have already been fired in October, if he was punished for the joke!”, replies Adèle Van Reeth, before adding: “it’s distrust of the company”. Visibly uncomfortable with the questions, the director of France Inter affirms that the decision concerns “disloyalty” by Guillaume Meurice, and that it was taken by the president of Radio France.
Have they been pressured? “You have to ask Sybile Veil”, retorts Adèle Van Reeth, visibly more and more annoyed by Yann Barthès’ questions. “It’s still crazy that in 2024, a woman who runs a powerful media outlet has to justify making decisions, under the pretext that she is under pressure…”
