Vincent Bolloré and other great fortunes now finance a journalism school, ESJ Paris

MEDIA – This is a takeover far from going unnoticed in the press world. One of the oldest journalism schools in the world, which incidentally does not issue a diploma recognized by the profession, the École supérieure de journalism (ESJ) in Paris, has been taken over by several great fortunes, we have learned this Friday, November 15 at the institution. An operation which was carried out for the benefit of investors who own media and are often aligned with conservative ideas, such as Dassault and Bolloré for example.

Among the “French companies which have agreed to participate in strengthening the ESJ”we read in a press release announcing the « reprise » of the establishment, we find in particular Koodenvoi (Habert Dassault finances, the Dassault group owns Le Figaro), La Compagnie de l'Odet (which oversees the capital of the Bolloré group, which has Canal+ and Prisma Médias in its fold) and CMA Media, owned by Rodolphe Saadé (La Provence, BFMTV, RMC…).

Billionaires already masters of private media »

La Financière Agache (owned by Bernard Arnault, who also owns Le Parisien and les Échos) and Bayard presse (La Croix, Phosphore) are also among the buyers. The presidency of the establishment is also entrusted to Vianney d'Alançon (present among the buyers via his structure, Financière de La Lance), a Catholic entrepreneur behind Rocher Mistral, a sort of Provençal Puy du Fou.

Thanks to this operation, the unrecognized school claims to want “strengthen its position of reference in the field of journalism education, particularly in economics”.

But beyond the project itself, it is the identity of the buyers that is most worrying. Indeed, several journalists immediately denounced the takeover of X, starting with Edwy Plenel. “Already masters of the private media, our oligarchs are taking possession of the oldest school of journalism, ESJ Paris. In the lot, Bernard Arnault, Vincent Bolloré, Rodolphe Saadé, the Dassaults…”writes the co-founder of Mediapart.

“Makes soldiers of caste journalism”

Vincent Bolloré, who has accumulated buyouts of press titles in recent years, is particularly known for sometimes interfering in the work of journalists and the organizational charts of editorial offices. As when he maintained the arrival of Geoffroy Lejeune, who came from Current valuesat the head of Sunday newspaperdespite a huge internal sling. Or when Paris Match had published a photo of a nativity scene on the front page for its 2023 Christmas issue, which made many journalists cough at the title.

Some elected officials have also stepped up to the plate in the face of this upheaval within the Parisian school of journalism. “Democracy is not limited to voting. It is also dependent on free information which opens up the possibility of informed choices”for example, wrote about X the First Secretary of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure. LFI MP Sophia Chikirou pointed out a “makes soldiers of caste journalism”.

The ESJ is not one of the 14 schools recognized by the profession, unlike the ESJ of Lille, a prestigious establishment with which it has no connection. Created in 1899, the Parisian school is nonetheless proud to have seen “passing prestigious teachers such as Anatole France, Charles Péguy, Maurice Ravel, Raymond Poincaré, Maurice Schumann or even Gaston Doumergue, former President of the Republic”. She also prides herself on being “the first journalism school in the world open to women and foreign students”.

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