When I came here to greet the winners of the Louis Hachette Prize
2011, the world was already buzzing with the world’s current revolutions
Arab. Like the whole profession, I expressed my support for
Stéphane TAPONIER and Hervé GHESQUIERE fortunately released
since, and we mourned the disappearance of Lucas DOLEGA, your colleague
photo reporter murdered in Tunisia. Since then, other tragedies have occurred
products of which the most terrible and closest to us all was the
tragic and revolting death of Gilles JACQUIER.
At the beginning of this tragic year for French journalism, it is first and foremost
paying tribute to Gilles JACQUIER and thinking of the 103
journalists killed in 2011, that I address these words to you, perhaps a little
for an award that is not just about the big story,
and which also aims to reward the quality of writing, the
and its ability to stage news, whatever it may be,
with hindsight, the analysis that are the hallmark of any journalistic work of
quality.
I would also like to pay tribute to the memory of Georges Suffert, the
journalist, essayist, columnist. I had the greatest admiration and
a deep respect for this comrade in arms of Claude Imbert, with whom
In particular, he shared the adventure of the «Point», when it was created in 1972.
Whether he’s a war reporter or not, whether he shows pain or distress
of the oppressed, that it condemns or demonstrates the inconsistencies of our
companies, a professional journalist is always willing to testify,
awaken our consciences, he often goes where we don’t expect him, where
we do not want that. It is a privilege that must be preserved, a freedom
for which we must remain vigilant and that we must know how to honour: it is
precisely what the Louis Hachette Prize jury has been doing since 1984.
I too would like to acknowledge the quality, rigour and inspiration of the work of
those who seek to decipher the chaos of the world.
Receiving the Louis Hachette Award is for a journalist
an important milestone in his career. Journalists need
of these incentives, which highlight the best feathers and
talents of a profession inseparable from the democratic idea and values
that you wear every day.
My sincere compliments go to the five recipients of the Prize
Louis Hachette 2012. The news press knows what it owes to the talent of
Jean Louis LE TOUZET, Pierre Antoine DELHOMMAIS, Henri HAGET,
Fanny GUINOCHET and Thuy-Diep NGUYEN.
Your work and your readers are the best answer to cassandras who
are asking me regularly about the sinking of the French press.
Some specialized journalists sometimes tend to want to
assimilate the difficulties of France Soir and La Tribune to the sinking of a
entire profession.
Yes, the press is going through a difficult time, but what’s at stake is
is not the quality of its editorial work, nor the attachment of its public;
this is the new balance that publishers must find to curb the
dispersal of advertising revenues. This historic fuel is becoming scarce,
and this directly affects the investment capacities of the press
in new digital media.
Personally, I don’t see shipwreck when I see the dailies
take advantage of the rich news of 2011 to maintain their sales
even progress for some of them, partly thanks to digital;
or when the news press, especially newsmagazines,
recorded an overall increase in sales between June 2010 and June
2011. The quality news press always appeals to a wide audience:
the latest sales figures prove it again. Last but not least, the
creativity of the sector remains intact in a difficult economic context:
French magazine has launched nearly 300 new regular titles
in the first half of 2011, much more than in the first half of 2010. The
Web versions of paper versions are becoming more important. The press
French magazine recorded an increasing digital audience of
nearly 3% and nearly 13% in two years. This complementarity
growing between the two universes allows both to better inform and
promote a better image for press brands.
What I see, however, is a profession that questions its
practices, on its new relationship with the public, on the irruption of new
forms of interaction with the public through increasingly
many; a profession worried about whether the means of increasing
will not affect the quality of their
work.
As you know, journalism, its difficulty, its demands and its
vital role for democracy are issues that hold me
particularly at heart.
In a very difficult context for the profession, faced with the evolution
techniques, the multiplication of sources and means
information, maximum exposure in a world of crises and
conflicts, the Ministry of Culture and Communication
support journalists in the development of the profession and
conditions for exercising their profession - whether it is a matter of supporting
the urgency of the reclassification of journalists from France Soir or La
Forum, to work long term on the new environment of the
vocational training, the future of journalism schools, the
fair remuneration for journalists in a
increasingly open multi-media environment.
The Ministry is actively supporting the National Conference of
careers in journalism, created three years ago. This body, which brings together
schools of journalism, professional representatives and
experts as well as the Ministry of Higher Education and
This year, Research proposed the introduction of a 'passport
a short training course for young journalists who
have not passed through a school recognized by the profession, and
will notably insist on the ethical requirements of the
journalist. She works on the harmonization of recognition criteria
of the profession with that of the academic world in order to facilitate
the orientation of students and ensure their better integration in
responding to the new challenges of the profession.
I am also very attentive to the issue of copyright of
journalists when their articles or photos are reused on new
supports beyond the title that employs them. That is why I am pleased that
The Joint Committee (CDAJ) responsible for
to determine this remuneration when the press companies do not
have not reached an agreement.
My department, as you know, also supports photojournalism. The
as a journalist, the writing you represent here is quite
complementary to the work of press photographers, and one does not fit
without the other. For this profession threatened by the rise of the internet and
low-cost image banks, my ministry is fighting for a better
recognition of their work. I launched a discussion with the profession
on the conditions for signing photos to avoid abuse of the
“Rights reserved” sometimes deprives the photographer of his rights
authors in an unjustified manner. I recently set up an observatory of the
photojournalism, which will be a force for proposals and pilot studies
useful for the profession.
Finally I currently organize the social consultation around the fixing of
the remuneration of freelance press photographers provided for by law in
2009, but which has not yet resulted in agreements in the
press companies since that date.
The stakes of the press are not only the immediate future of
Presstalis, the restructuring of press printing, or the decline in
digital VAT. I personally think that we need even more
strengthen our efforts in support of training and innovation, and above all
continue to showcase your talents and convey the desire to read your surveys
to an ever-growing public.
I therefore renew my congratulations to Pierre-Antoine DELHOMMAIS
from Point, Fanny GUINOCHET and Thuy-Dieppe NGUYEN from Challenges,
Henri HAGET of the Express and Jean Louis LE TOUZET of Libération.
I thank of course warmly Claude IMBERT, faithful and brilliant
for so many years, the members of the jury for
their commitment, and the Lagardère Active Group for its support; and
can only encourage Laurent JOFFRIN, who valiantly takes over the
torch.
Thank you.