Sibyle Veil, chief executive of the French public radio group Radio France, defended the hiring of a columnist from the right-wing magazine Valeurs actuelles on France Inter, saying public broadcasting must include people who do not all think the same way.
The row centers on the announced arrival of Charles Sapin, deputy editor-in-chief of Valeurs actuelles, who is set to deliver a weekly column on France Inter. The decision has pushed the joint union group at Radio France to file strike notice for September 13 and 14.
Opening the public broadcaster's back-to-school press conference on Thursday, Veil stood by the decision. She said public broadcasting belongs to everyone, adding that the group's mission was to let voices with differing opinions coexist on its airwaves.
Defending Pluralism Before the Presidential Election
Veil said public broadcasting is not a battlefield, but nor is it neutral and sanitized. She stressed Radio France's independence and impartiality, arguing it was not for management to exclude contributors based on their opinions.
She also recalled that several figures at the broadcaster had, over the years, faced calls for their removal from the airwaves, naming Sophia Aram and Charline Vanhoenacker among them.
Radio France is France's public radio group, encompassing stations including France Inter, France Info and France Culture. Valeurs actuelles is a French weekly magazine known for its right-wing and conservative editorial line.
Strong Opposition From Staff
Opposition within the company remains fierce. In a motion adopted unanimously on Wednesday, Radio France employees voiced what they called their categorical refusal to see Charles Sapin go on air. They argued that the values carried by Valeurs actuelles are not compatible with those of the public broadcaster.
France Inter director Celine Pigalle defended the hire, saying she wanted to energize the national conversation ahead of the presidential election.
In a message to staff, editorial director Vincent Meslet said Radio France would draw consequences without delay from any inappropriate remarks. He wrote that no one would be condemned before speaking, but that nothing would be overlooked afterward.
What Comes Next
The strike notice covers September 13 and 14, with the presidential election due in 2027 forming the backdrop to the dispute over who gets a voice on French public radio.
