Journalists express dissent against the newspaper's director general over transphobic disputes and societal unrest, voting a lack of confidence in their leadership after 20 minutes of deliberation.
In an unprecedented move, journalists at the French online media outlet 20 Minutes have voted a motion of no confidence against their general director and publisher, Ronan Dubois. The vote, which reached 77% participation, was adopted by 82.5% of the participating journalists.
The unions involved in the issue, SNJ-CGT and SNME-CFDT, have reported "inadequate and potentially discriminatory remarks" made by Dubois towards a transgender union delegate, which are currently under investigation. These remarks were allegedly made during a tense works council meeting.
Dubois was appointed as general director and publisher of 20 Minutes in 2023. However, the journalists now judge it impossible to trust him to lead 20 Minutes, reproaching him for "incomprehensible decisions" that have allegedly worsened the financial situation of the newspaper.
The journalists denounce a freeze on hiring, the non-replacement of sick leaves, and the meticulous destruction of their social gains. They also denounce the halting of payment of copyrights and the refusal to pay neighboring rights, as well as two recent dismissals deemed unjustified.
Beyond the set of practices denounced, the current motion comes at a time when the media is facing a crisis regarding the last free daily newspaper distributed in France going fully digital. The editorial team denounces suggestions made during the general assembly of June 27th that the shareholders could turn 20 Minutes into an agency if the social climate does not improve.
It's worth noting that there is no evidence in the most recent sources that this crisis at 20 Minutes is currently being widely reported or acknowledged in major international or French news outlets. The latest widely available news from France focuses instead on political, economic, and foreign policy issues.
However, the media has recently been condemned in appeal for "discrimination" and "moral harassment" of a journalist due to their disability. This incident further highlights the concerns raised by the 20 Minutes journalists.
As the investigation into the allegations against Dubois continues, the future of 20 Minutes remains uncertain. The unions and the editorial team are calling for transparency and accountability from the management, hoping to restore trust and stability within the organisation.
- The recent events at 20 Minutes, including the no-confidence vote against publisher Ronan Dubois, controversies over discriminatory remarks, and concerns about job security and financial management, have been predominantly covered in the general-news section of online media but have yet to receive much attention in mainstream politics or crime-and-justice reports.
- Amidst the ongoing investigation into the allegations against Dubois, the unions and editorial team at 20 Minutes have appealed for transparency and accountability from management, hoping to restore trust and stability in the organization, a matter that not only involves politics within the media but also human rights issues, such as the recent condemnation of discrimination and moral harassment based on disability.
