“In no case is there racism on BFMTV”: journalist Loïc Besson reframes Louis Boyard live

Louis Boyard was the guest of “BFM Direct” on Sunday noon. The LFI deputy for Val-de-Marne spoke about the attack in Trappes (Yvelines) which occurred two days earlier. Louis Boyard drew a link between the making of racist remarks on television and the passage to xenophobic action: “there is a political responsibility and a media responsibility of people who allow these remarks to be made without ever being interrupted,” he indicated.

He also listed a series of comments, which he describes as “racist”, made by Éric Zemmour on BFMTV on October 18 in “100% Mabrouk”. He criticizes the presenter, Sonia Mabrouk, for not having interrupted him. Éric Zemmour should have been re-invited to the CMA-CGM group channel on Saturday October 24. Faced with the outcry on social networks and the warning from the SDJ of BFMTV, the president of the Reconquest party was deprogrammed by BFMTV.

“Trials of intent” at BFMTV

The presenter of “BFM Direct”, Loïc Besson, immediately clarified: “Since you are questioning BFMTV: we are not allowing these comments to be made, there are no racist comments on BFMTV”. “Madame Mabrouk never took it back,” contradicted Louis Boyard. “When potentially racist or racist remarks are made on BFMTV, they are reframed by the journalists opposite,” repeated the journalist.

Louis Boyard

“Here I’m talking about BFMTV but that’s a lot of television channels. When I see programs like “Zone Interdite” or “Enquête d’Action” which give a dehumanizing image of working-class neighborhoods, we can blame CNews for all of this. Even BFMTV is doing its transfer window at CNews,” explained Louis Boyard, once again referring to the recruitment of Sonia Mabrouk. The MP believes that the causes of the Trappes attack can be correlated with the media treatment of the suburbs: “Because we dehumanize these inhabitants of working-class neighborhoods, this encourages these far-right activists to take action.”

Loic Besson

Loïc Besson once again reframed Louis Boyard: “You cannot accuse journalists of the intentions of BFMTV. I find it unfair to question a channel and journalists who are doing their job. Under no circumstances is there racism on BFMTV, there will never be racism broadcast on BFMTV.” “You know that you are going to have lots of sequences of racist remarks made on BFMTV which will be repeated. For now it’s not just your channel, it’s all the television channels,” said Louis Boyard.

“When guests make comments that go beyond the framework of the law, they are taken back,” reaffirmed presenter Loïc Besson. “They were not recaptured, he should not even be invited, he is repeatedly convicted of calling for racial hatred,” concluded Louis Boyard. Television channels have an obligation to maintain their antenna, Arcom often reminds us. They must react immediately, contradict or reframe a guest, columnist or listener who makes comments likely to be discriminatory or infringe on people's rights, according to the charter to which all channels are committed.