Don Carron goes to battle
The Valais-based free newspaper *Valaistribune* aims to establish itself as an alternative to *Le Nouvelliste*
The Valais free newspaper Valaistribune wants to establish itself as an alternative to the NouvellisteMichel Carron is a burnt child. Since he unleashed the scandal surrounding the Valais cantonal bank, he has been suffering shame and humiliation in his home canton. His main enemy is the daily newspaper Le Nouvelliste. That is why he now wants to launch his newspaper Valaistribune. But Michel Carron is also a Don Quixote of Valaisan proportions: with his citizens' movement, he ran for a seat in the Council of States and a seat on the State Council - in 2001 he received 6964 votes.
Regardless, he wants to delight the population from Sion to St-Gingolph with his Postille shortly before the holidays. He sees the free monthly newspaper with a circulation of 60,000 copies as an alternative to the Nouvelliste.
The French-language daily has been a red rag for Carron since 1987 because he is systematically attacked and dismantled by the CVP's favorite newspaper, as he complains to WerbeWoche. It was he who started the scandal surrounding the Valais cantonal bank, the so-called "Affaire Dorsaz", just over five years ago. According to Carron himself, he lost one million francs as a result of banker Dorsaz's alleged mismanagement. Today, the ombudsman of the Banking Commission agrees with him and recommends that the Valais Cantonal Bank compensate the plaintiff. But the bank stubbornly refuses.
Valaistribune will cost the Alpine cabbage haas a small fortune - he himself expects to spend 60,000 francs per issue. But as a veritable fighter for the cause of democracy, Michel Carron prefers the career of a publisher to going to court again.
Valaistribune should also inform the people of Valais about the machinations in the canton in the long term and thus create opportunities for "objective opinion-forming". The monopolistic Nouvelliste is engaged in "total disinformation", Carron knows from his own experience. Even media from outside the canton are put in their place by those responsible at Nouvelliste as soon as they express a different opinion on matters within the canton. Fabrice Germanier contradicts him in a letter to the editor in Dimanche.ch: the editor-in-chief of Rhône FM points out that his private radio station, which has been on the airwaves since 1990, broadcasts independent information despite Nouvelliste's 12.5 percent shareholding.
Advertising clients must sign the charter
According to Carron, funding for the first edition is secured. He can count on the broad support of the population, he assures us. In addition, a payment slip will be enclosed with the newspaper. In this way, the population can decide whether they want an alternative to the CVP newspaper, Carron explains the appeal for donations.
Anyone who wants to advertise in Valaistribune is also put to the ideological test by Carron. Advertisers must sign a charter and are not allowed to exert any direct influence on the
political and economic events in the canton of Valais.
Carron does not want to mention the names of the journalists who edit Valaistribune. This is part of the surprise of the first edition, he says mysteriously. He does not want to confirm that journalists from the Nouvelliste have defected to him.
Anita Vaucher
Regardless, he wants to delight the population from Sion to St-Gingolph with his Postille shortly before the holidays. He sees the free monthly newspaper with a circulation of 60,000 copies as an alternative to the Nouvelliste.
The French-language daily has been a red rag for Carron since 1987 because he is systematically attacked and dismantled by the CVP's favorite newspaper, as he complains to WerbeWoche. It was he who started the scandal surrounding the Valais cantonal bank, the so-called "Affaire Dorsaz", just over five years ago. According to Carron himself, he lost one million francs as a result of banker Dorsaz's alleged mismanagement. Today, the ombudsman of the Banking Commission agrees with him and recommends that the Valais Cantonal Bank compensate the plaintiff. But the bank stubbornly refuses.
Valaistribune will cost the Alpine cabbage haas a small fortune - he himself expects to spend 60,000 francs per issue. But as a veritable fighter for the cause of democracy, Michel Carron prefers the career of a publisher to going to court again.
Valaistribune should also inform the people of Valais about the machinations in the canton in the long term and thus create opportunities for "objective opinion-forming". The monopolistic Nouvelliste is engaged in "total disinformation", Carron knows from his own experience. Even media from outside the canton are put in their place by those responsible at Nouvelliste as soon as they express a different opinion on matters within the canton. Fabrice Germanier contradicts him in a letter to the editor in Dimanche.ch: the editor-in-chief of Rhône FM points out that his private radio station, which has been on the airwaves since 1990, broadcasts independent information despite Nouvelliste's 12.5 percent shareholding.
Advertising clients must sign the charter
According to Carron, funding for the first edition is secured. He can count on the broad support of the population, he assures us. In addition, a payment slip will be enclosed with the newspaper. In this way, the population can decide whether they want an alternative to the CVP newspaper, Carron explains the appeal for donations.
Anyone who wants to advertise in Valaistribune is also put to the ideological test by Carron. Advertisers must sign a charter and are not allowed to exert any direct influence on the
political and economic events in the canton of Valais.
Carron does not want to mention the names of the journalists who edit Valaistribune. This is part of the surprise of the first edition, he says mysteriously. He does not want to confirm that journalists from the Nouvelliste have defected to him.
Anita Vaucher
