Call Against Media Concentration in France

[Dirk39]

Call Against Media Concentration in France


The « Observatoire français des médias » (French Media Observatory) launched an on-line petition against media concentration in France.

The appeal has received the support of the EFJ members (SNJ, SNJ-CGT and CFDT Radio-Télé) as well as by NGOs and civil society groups.

On 17 June, the European Commission has allowed industrial conglomerate Marcel Dassault (GIMD) to buy up to 82% of the shares of the «Socpresse », the publishing company of 70 French newspapers, including major newspapers such as Le Figaro and l’Express. The GIMD company is primarly a weapon and aeronotic manufactury. His manager, Serge Dassault, is also a local politician, member of the French ruling coalition UMP. He openly said that he buys media « to make his ideas heard ». Dassault already announced that he would allow the French private broadcaster TF1 to take shares at the Socpresse, creating by consequent a dangerous example of cross-media ownership.

Another weapon industry conglomerate, Lagardère, is already a leading French media giant with activities in the written press, publishing, radio and distribution. Dassault and Lagardère own over 70% of the French press.

Please spread the call!!

There is an online petition here:
www.observatoire-medias.info/article202.html

Signatures can also be sent to this e-mail address :
[e-mail]


Source:
http://www.authorsrights.org/default.asp?index=2600&Language=EN

Hello from Germany,
Dirk

[Robert Murphy]

1. Hi back from the U.S...

Certainly a worthy (and urgent) cause, Dirk. But would e-mails from non-Europeans--let alone non-French--make much of an impression? Still, coming from Americans no less, the French might just make an exception... ;)


Seriously, we have our own troubles over here, as you no doubt are aware of--before U.S. laws limiting media conglomeration (i.e. concentration) were blithely tossed aside in the deregulation frenzy of the past 15 years, just over 50 separate companies controlled the U.S.'s major news organizations. Now, just a few years after said deregulation, that number is down to five. One need only look at Italy, with its ruling Media Czar (i.e. Berlusconi) to see what the future could bring. The U.S. media is pathetic; it's disturbing to hear how the same trends which led to this sad state of affairs seem to be developing in Europe...

Cheers,

Robert