Yann Barthès, the flagship presenter of the show Quotidien on TMC, recently participated in a hearing by the French National Assembly’s inquiry commission. This session is part of the study on the allocation of DTT frequencies, in anticipation of their reassignment in 2025. Surrounded by members of his production company Bangumi and officials from TF1, Barthès was particularly questioned about his decision not to invite members of the National Rally (RN) to his show.
The hearing was marked by tense exchanges with RN deputies, highlighting a long history between the party and the show. The decision not to invite them was presented as a collective measure, justified by the violence suffered by some journalists of the show during the coverage of events related to the RN.
In addition, Barthès revisited the circumstances of his departure from Canal + in 2016, explaining that he wanted to avoid the consequences of a change in management. He also addressed a controversy surrounding remarks by Nicolas Sarkozy during an interview in 2020, insisting that the controversial words had been taken out of context.
The commission also discussed pluralism in the media, with a particular emphasis on respecting political sensitivities in the French media landscape. Despite the pressure, the Quotidien team maintained its editorial line, defending itself from any failure in pluralism while respecting its principles of humanism and freedom.
This hearing comes in a context of heated debates about the role of the media and their impartiality, particularly in the treatment of different political forces in France. The responses from Barthès and his team at the National Assembly underline a firm desire to maintain an editorial line consistent with their values, despite the controversies.