In Uzès, Midi Libre rewards its information sentinels

Due to its central location, in the heart of the Gard, the medieval town of Uzès was ideal for bringing together all the correspondents of this department, which extends from the Cévennes to the Camargue. This position convinced Free Midday to meet them this Thursday, June 27 in the evening, at the L’Ombrière room. Indeed, while it was customary for the newspaper to invite them to share a festive moment at the company’s headquarters for its traditional correspondents’ party, it was decided this year that the editorial team would travel itself to the various departments!

A formidable territorial network

Fabrice Verdier, president of the community of communes of the Uzès region, was keen to emphasise the importance of the regional daily press: “I am very happy to welcome you this evening in this room of the Ombrière. Free Midday is in fact the daily reflection of current events in our territories. We must appreciate how lucky we are to have local, free and independent media!”

Comments approved by the newspaper’s editorial director, Olivier Biscaye: “In these troubled times, we need the press, journalists and of course correspondents. This is why I would like to express my gratitude to you for your daily work in the field!”

Caricatures of Man

If Midi Libre has indeed succeeded for more than 80 years in providing its readers with regional information, it is above all thanks to a formidable network of men and women committed to covering the news in their territory. This is why several of them were rewarded for their initiative, their responsiveness or simply their good humor!

Several raffle draws also interspersed the evening and allowed the lucky ones to win a tasty portrait signed Man, the famous newspaper cartoonist present that evening.

Before enjoying a generous cocktail accompanied by the musical notes of guitarist Jean-Baptiste Sobas, journalist Édith Lefranc, from the Villages and Proximity department, wanted to greet the correspondents present one last time, and encouraged them to continue to cultivate their curiosity.

Initiative Award

It was the journalist Christine Didier who had the honour of presenting the first prize of the evening to the Grand-Combe correspondent Sébastien Gonzalez. He wrote a beautiful article, richly illustrated, on the occasion of the signing of a partnership between the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS), the Gard Department, and the prefecture. This agreement concerned forest fires, a problem that is unfortunately very current in our region regularly struck by this type of natural disaster.

Photo price

The Saint-Mamert correspondent received the photo of the year prize from journalist Cathy Mille. Elisabeth Begot used a drone to photograph the Olympic flame. It is a choreography carried out by local schoolchildren who formed a human chain representing the famous Olympic rings. In order to best reflect the result, the correspondent did not hesitate to use great means to deliver a superb aerial photo!

Alert price

Editorial director Olivier Biscaye awarded the Méjannes-le-Clap correspondent the alert prize, to thank him for his responsiveness during the terrible floods in March. Frédéric Bernard had then reported to the editorial staff the disappearance of two Méjannaises swept away by the waters on a submersible bridge. He then wrote a moving portrait of the two women, Bénédicte Laigneau and Armelle Vanderhaeghe, very popular in the village which remains in mourning following this terrible accident.

Interview price

Journalist Cathy Mille awarded the interview prize to the Sauve correspondent. Dominique Hoste managed to secure an interview with an internationally renowned personality who usually remains very quiet, the American Robert Crumb. The comic strip artist, who has lived in the Gard commune for over 30 years, spoke with great emotion about the death of his wife Aline Kominsky-Crumb, who was very involved in the village and known to all Sauvains.

Portrait price

The Lirac correspondent received the portrait prize from the hands of Bagnols-sur-Cèze agency head Cécile Bodarwé. Erick Chabaud is rewarded for his article on Roger Boulaire, the first centenarian winemaker of the village! For the occasion, he, who is a loyal reader of Midi Libre (he knew about its creation), recalled his memories and told the correspondent about all the developments that have transformed Lirac for more than a century, from the appearance of running water to that of television.

Price of good understanding

Olivier Biscaye awarded a rather original prize, introduced for the first time this year: the prize for good understanding, awarded to Amélie Gil, Danielle Meunier and Fernand Tailhades! It rewards the three correspondents who share the town of Saint-Christol-lez-Alès. Each has their own favourite area, such as Fernand Tailhades who prefers to cover sports topics. In any case, all three are committed to reporting as best they can on the news of this Gard commune, in an atmosphere of genuine camaraderie!

Neighborhood Correspondent Award

It was Edith Lefranc, from the Villages and Proximity department and former agency head in Nîmes, who presented the neighborhood correspondent prize to Christian Cartoux, for his portrait of the young Nîmes dancer from the Gambetta neighborhood, Clémentine Aloeboetoe.

Aged 17, she passed the difficult competition of the Alvin Ailey School, a prestigious New York dance school, and will soon be going to the other side of the Atlantic. A beautiful story as Midi Libre likes to share with its readers.