Wiesenthal Centre Commends France24 for Action Against Correspondents’ Antisemitism

March 17, 2023

Paris - Wiesenthal Centre Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, commended the response by the management of France24 and France Média Monde, following CAMERA’s report and the Wiesenthal Centre’s action addressed to the broadcasting company last week. In view of their antisemitism on social media, one journalist was fired while three others were warned with a call to order.

See full press release by France24:
https://www.france24.com/fr/communiqu%C3%A9-de-presse/20230315-conclusion-de-l-audit-interne-%C3%A0-france-24-apr%C3%A8s-la-mise-en-cause-de-quatre-journalistes-arabophones
 
In their words: “France 24 informed the production company that employs Joëlle Maroun in Lebanon that the channel is ending all collaboration with this journalist because of intolerable messages posted on her personal accounts... France 24 will also file a complaint against her for the damage done to its reputation and the professionalism of the editorial staff.”... Adding, “With regard to the other three journalists... their messages posted on social media appear to reflect positions incompatible with the duty of impartiality set out in the company's code of ethics.... Management issued a call to order.”

Furthermore, France24 stated that its Ethics Commission would "work with the journalist associations, to deepen the principles and extend the scope of the charter which governs the use of employees' personal accounts on social networks..."

 
With social media fueling polarization and giving voice to propaganda or hatred, ever more often, Holocaust denial, glorification of terrorists or blatant antisemitism have become the “news normal”... But that is not the nature of journalism!
 
“May this case represent a precedent for other national and international media outlets that do not sufficiently vet or audit their journalists, especially when reporting on Israel,” concluded Samuels.

For further information contact Dr. Shimon Samuels at csweurope@gmail.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).