Journalists' union criticizes TV interview with Sarkozy
The French journalists' union has criticized President Nicolas Sarkozy's hour-and-a-half television interview on Thursday evening as a "masquerade" and an "insult to journalism".
The French journalists' union has criticized President Nicolas Sarkozy's hour-and-a-half television interview on Thursday evening as a "masquerade" and an "insult to journalism".
"In no other democratic country is it customary for leading politicians to choose their own interviewees", according to a statement issued by SDA in Paris on Friday. The four journalists who interviewed Sarkozy acted as "courtiers". The questions were harmless and had been agreed in advance. Nobody contradicted Sarkozy when he deviated from the truth. The union appealed to the journalists not to become stooges of the PR departments.
On Thursday evening, Sarkozy defended his government's controversial reforms in a one-and-a-half hour television broadcast from the Elysée Palace, despite the mood of crisis and nationwide protests.
"In no other democratic country is it customary for leading politicians to choose their own interviewees", according to a statement issued by SDA in Paris on Friday. The four journalists who interviewed Sarkozy acted as "courtiers". The questions were harmless and had been agreed in advance. Nobody contradicted Sarkozy when he deviated from the truth. The union appealed to the journalists not to become stooges of the PR departments.
On Thursday evening, Sarkozy defended his government's controversial reforms in a one-and-a-half hour television broadcast from the Elysée Palace, despite the mood of crisis and nationwide protests.
