France 24 does not make a tendentious treatment of the news in Senegal. Vanessa Burggraf wanted to prove it by reminding the Minister of Communication of the subjects dealt with in Senegal since the beginning of June. For her, the French channel has no bias and remains open to all political actors in the country.

France 24 makes a tendentious treatment of the news in Senegal. This is a statement that Vanessa Burggraf, the director of the French television channel, does not wish to associate with the media she runs. In a letter with a tone of restraint, and addressed to Moussa Bocar Thiam, in response to the latter’s latest release, she explained the process of the television channel. “With regard to the coverage of the police custody of MP Birame Soulèye Diop, we broadcast in the Journal de l’Afrique on Thursday July 6 a very factual piece from our correspondent in Dakar, Sarah Sakho.  In her subject, Sarah Sakho affirms from the outset that « Birame Soulèye Diop is being prosecuted for defamation committed by a member of the National Assembly against a foreign Head of State likely to undermine the State’s diplomatic relations, as well as for discrediting an institution of the Republic ». The terms of our correspondent are unequivocal. It repeats word for word the terms of the prosecution”, she said. Before specifying that France 24 broadcast the words of Birame Soulèye Diop and in the process, the apologies that followed.

However, she recognizes that « the banner on the news feed « A Senegalese opponent in police custody for having questioned the intentions of Macky Sall » was certainly incomplete (we took from the news agencies like many other media), but in no way reflects any tendentious coverage of this news. There was nothing intentional, I want to assure you of that. In the same logic, Vanessa Burggraf returned to the Les Observateurs program which had investigated the videos broadcast by the police to explain the presence of armed people during the riots in early June. “The editorial staff of the Observers, seized on videos circulating on social networks by Senegalese observers, requested a reaction from the government to this investigation. Senegalese Interior Ministry spokesman Maham Ka said: “What is important to us is that the word of the police is a truthful word.” … These remarks were quoted in the subject produced,” she said. Consequently, the director of France 24 assures that the channel ensures balanced and impartial coverage.

As evidenced by, the broadcast on the French-speaking antenna on Monday, July 3, in its entirety, of President Macky Sall’s speech to the Nation. The debate organized the next day, according to Vanessa Burggraf, followed the same rules, with the presence of the government spokesperson, Abdou Karim Fofana, and the representative of the Pastef France party, Alioune Sall. “We call on all actors in Senegalese political life with a concern for respect for pluralism and equity. We obviously made an official request to receive President Macky Sall,” she added. It appears from the correspondence of the head of the French public channel that the authorities of this country do not want to alienate the Senegalese authorities. No doubt they are trying to avoid repeating the misadventures that happened to them in Burkina and Mali, where the channel was banned from broadcasting and its reporters expelled? Especially since Macky Sall’s government seems to have come to terms with the idea that the country’s ranking by Reporters Without Borders will only get worse for a while…

By Malick GAYE / mgaye@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH