An internal investigation has been opened at BFMTV, France’s leading news channel, due to suspicions targeting a presenter whose subjects may have been influenced by outsiders, AFP learned from concordant sources, confirming information from the Politico website.
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“An internal investigation was indeed launched more than two weeks ago following information received concerning a journalist”which is now “exempted from activity”told AFP the management of BFMTV, without specifying the reason for these suspicions.
For its part, the Society of Journalists (SDJ) of BFMTV reported “suspicion of interference with a journalist”. “If the facts reported are correct, they are serious and reprehensible”underlines the SDJ.
Non-validated information disseminated at night
According to an internal source at BFMTV, which confirms information from Politico, this journalist is Rachid M’Barki, presenter of the night newspapers. The survey is aimed at “information broadcast in this night’s newspaper between midnight and 4:30 am, which would have been broadcast without being validated by the usual channel, that is to say the editor-in-chief”continued this internal source.
The geopolitical match: Morocco-Spain, and the explosive Sahrawi question
The investigation should determine “if this content was under any influence” and if images broadcast on the air “came from outside”. At the center of the questions is a subject on an economic forum between Morocco and Spain organized in June.
By launching the subject, according to an excerpt again visible on social mediaRachid M’Barki indicates that this forum has been “made possible by the warming of diplomatic relations between the two countries since Spain’s recognition of the Moroccan Sahara”.
This expression refers to Western Sahara, a region largely controlled by Morocco but claimed by the Polisario Front supported by Algeria. This issue is a source of tension between Rabat and Algiers.
According to our colleagues at Checknews, at least one other sequence would be a source of suspicion.
Information that came to him from “informants”
Asked by Politico, M’Barki admitted to having “used information that (him) came from informants” and who don’t have “not necessarily followed the usual course of writing”.
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“They were all real and verified (…) I’m not ruling anything out, maybe I was tricked, I didn’t feel like it was or that I was taking part in an operation I didn’t know what else I wouldn’t have done it”he continues.
“We cannot tolerate any suspicion about the work of BFM and its 300 journalists. We will therefore take all legal, judicial, individual and organizational measures according to the conclusions of this investigation.”for his part, took over the management of BFMTV.
