Midi Libre rewards its information sentinels

The annual correspondents’ party Free Midi usually took place at the newspaper’s headquarters in Saint-Jean-de-Védas. Change this year, and to avoid the Aveyronnais and Lozériens this long journey to the Montpellier metropolis, the party came to them! For these active correspondents, the meeting was scheduled this Tuesday, June 25 in the evening at the dolmen house of Buzeins, a village in Aveyron renowned for its megalithic constructions.

A formidable territorial network

And if the newspaper does not yet have the canonical age of these venerable prehistoric monuments, it has been reporting to its readers on the news of our departments for more than 80 years. This mission would be impossible without a formidable network of local correspondents, true sentinels of information, as the deputy editor-in-chief Estelle Devic pointed out: “I am delighted to be with you! Always on the ground, you are indeed indispensable, because you are in direct contact with our readers and ready to share their feelings and expectations with us.”

Correspondents participate in a literary jury

The Correspondents’ Day is also an opportunity to reward the men and women most committed to covering the news in their territory (see below). Everyone left with several gifts, including the novel by Marion Fayolle entitled Du meme bois, winner of the 2024 Midi Libre-Sauramps prize “Habiter le monde”. This fourth literary prize initiated by our newspaper allowed correspondents to express themselves. Five of them were in fact selected to constitute a pre-jury, whose voice was then represented within the final jury by the journalist Édith Lefranc, deputy head of the Villages and proximity department. She welcomed the experience and promised to repeat the exercise next year.

Caricatures of Man

Several raffle draws also allowed the lucky ones to win a tasty portrait signed Man, the famous cartoonist of the newspaper present that evening. Before enjoying a generous cocktail accompanied by the musical notes of guitarist Jean-Baptiste Sobas, Édith Lefranc invited the correspondents present to continue their mission as witnesses of the life of our territories. At the time of celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Liberation, the importance of freedom of the press was recalled.

Initiative Award

It was Stéphanie Bouloir, head of the Mende agency, who had the honour of presenting the first prize of the evening to Pierre Divol, correspondent for Ventallon in the Cévennes. In a great article, he indeed honoured a couple of teachers who came to settle in the heart of the Cévennes to undertake a complete reconversion, since they started making craft beer and raising laying hens! An opportunity for Free Midi to highlight the economic activity of our villages.

Initiative Award

The Montlaur correspondent, Jean-Michel Mouls, received the second prize for the initiative from the hands of the Millau agency manager, Frédéric Mayet, for his portrait of Abdel Harzallah, employed at the Galamans farm. A unique journey since nothing predestined this young Algerian, who had first trained as a farrier in Marseille, to begin a career as a shepherd. Jean-Michel Mouls recounted in his article this original journey that led Abdel Harzallah to Aveyron.

Alert price

Estelle Devic awarded Pierre Abric, correspondent from Saint-Rome-de-Tarn, the alert prize for his responsiveness to a tragic news story. An award that honored the Abric family, since they have been correspondents there from father to son since 1986! “I took over in 2004,” declared Pierre Abric. “I have just been awarded for a story about firefighters. It’s funny because my father René was also awarded several decades ago for a photo… of firefighters!”

Price of the unusual

Stéphanie Bouloir presented Thierry Charamond, Langogne correspondent, with the unusual prize. The reason for this reward? His article on the unexpected presence of a raccoon in a garden in the peaceful town. Looking for her cat, the owner of the place was taken aback when she came face to face with the animal, unusual in the region. Thierry Charamond managed to take a beautiful photo of the specimen, which attracted many Internet users to the Midi Libre website!

Environmental Prize

Deputy head of the Villages and proximity department, Edith Lefranc awarded the environment prize to the Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole correspondent. Georges Chassang was rewarded for his article on the installation of dry toilets on the route to Santiago de Compostela. Information that may seem anecdotal, but which highlights the work of Midi Libre correspondents to promote initiatives – numerous in our region – aimed at protecting nature.

Territory price

Saint-Sever-du-Moustier correspondent Audrey Bregou received an award from Frédéric Mayet for a report on the opening of a farm café called l’Espinguette. It is run by Cécile Sénégas and Jean Armengaud, who are both farmers and café owners, selling their farm products in their establishment. A great adventure highlighted by Audrey Bregou through an article presenting the journey and beginnings of the young couple in the village.