The New Watchdogs Page #7

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editorial writer for Le Monde

and adviser to Lazard bank.

June 7th

was three months

before the September 2008 crash.

I probably shouldn't call him

"the best economist in France"

after Giscard d'Estaing

gave that title to Raymond Barre.

I'd be going too far,

but I'd be glad to hear

his diagnosis

of this peculiar economic moment.

I agree with you

that the financial crisis

is not entirely finished

but the worst is over.

That is, the risk...

The risk that the financial crisis

would spark a systemic crisis

with banks going down

like dominoes, seems to be averted.

Here again the situation makes us ask,

if France's best economist

in the eyes of Alain Minc

can be so far wrong

in June 2008,

is the whole profession doomed?

Did nobody see it coming?

No.

In all fairness, it has to be said

that some people,

including some economists

had seen it coming for years.

Thereal question is,

why are the people who get interviewed

always the ones least critical

of the basis of the system?

Daniel Cohen didn't see it coming.

There's a persistence in error

that is met with persistent leniency.

They can say whatever they like.

Those guys are rustproof.

You wonder what

the y'd have to come out with

to make the media finally say,

"You're a good old boy

but let's face it,

we can't ask you here again."

Of course, the opposite happened.

The same experts glossed the collapse

of a system the y'd previously praised.

They spoke even more than before.

From September 2008 to December 2010,

Alain Minc,

Christian de Boissieu

and Daniel Cohen

between the m

spoke 332 times

on the radio and TV.

Frdric Lordon

and Jean Gadrey

were invited only 21 times.

Clearly, because

the unions

are behind the times

we're the only big country

which refuses

to tackle the issue

of workers' privileges.

Until we grasp the basic problem

that the French cannot accept the fact

that society needs deep reform,

the question will always remain.

French rigidity stops us

developing towards

the gradual expansion

of the market and democracy.

So France

is in a strange position where

some people bring melons

and others bring chickens

and they trade melons for chickens.

"When bourgeois ideas came to be seen

as products of timeless reason

"and no longer

as shaky historical constructs,

"they had the best chance

of surviving and resisting attack.

"Everyone forgot the circumstances

that engendered the m

and also made them mortal."

When the Government wishes

to defend its point of view,

it will do it openly,

through a qualified spokesman.

How will this spokesman

express himself?

In a televised speech,

a statement, or what?

He might make a statement

but whenever possible,

we will hold an open debate

between the various points of view

in order to respect

the freedom of information

and opinion of all French people.

We may smile to see Alain Peyrefitte

defending pluralism of opinion

while imposing his Government's changes

on the TV news.

Fifty years on,

journalists still hark back

to that era

when they praise the so-called

pluralism of today's media.

We had the De Gaulle era,

the Ministry of Information era...

We still have a Minister of Culture

and Communication

but he's not so important now?

No, thank goodness.

Nowadays, they have

to contend with competition.

Back then, we had only two

TV channels. Now there are dozens.

We had three important radio stations.

Now there are hundreds.

Now there's the Internet.

Nothing can be hushed up for long.

There's always competition

and therefore logically, necessarily,

there's more real independence

than back then.

Not because politicians are more

virtuous or journalists are smarter,

but competition has forced it on them,

thank God.

Now the news can't do without it.

For Alain Duhamel

and most other journalists,

competition is the ideal model

that safeguards

their independence.

But it's no wonder that Alain Duhamel

sees only good in the news market.

He is one of those who have reaped

the richest rewards

from the growth of the news media.

Every news show I appear on...

He started out in public broadcasting

in the days of Alain Peyrefitte.

While pursuing a rustproof career

as a presidential interviewer,

he embodied his own variety

of media pluralism.

In the early 2000s,

he sold his editorials

to ten media outlets at a time:

France 2, Canal+,

RTL, Libration,

Le Point, Nice Matin,

Les DNA, Le Maine Libre,

Le Courrier de I'Ouest, Presse Ocan.

He's unlikely to bite the hand

of a market that's fed him so well.

SIGNING SESSION:

For Renaud Lambert, please.

L- A-M-B-E-R-T?

What do you do?

I studied journalism.

You've always been an example.

We watched and listened to you a lot

and discussed you in class.

I'm very pleased to meet you.

Why did you ask him to sign your book?

I'm studying journalism...

Alain Duhamel is one of my heroes.

His trademark style is asking questions

that let people get on with the job.

Like when Nicolas Sarkozy met the press.

It's a school in itself.

Your first questioner is Alain Duhamel.

Unfortunately,

the market has no feelings

and Alain Duhamel has reached

his sell-by date.

If I may!

Will you cap public borrowing?

With competition, the media

have to keep trading

new faces for old.

Ageing stars are usually replaced

by equivalent models

who talk the same talk.

But to win other audiences

and gain market share,

the media sometimes bank

on more impetuous,

outspoken characters.

Even rebels, if need be.

Michel Field

is one such journalist

chosen for his rebellious image.

His career is the banal story

of the rebel who fell into line.

As militant revolutionaries,

we believe we'll change society.

The people we're fighting

will make us use force.

We don't rule out armed struggle.

Michel Field sells his militant image

on public television.

We see him late at night

discussing philosopher Flix Guattari

with former Red Brigades member

Toni Negri.

Ten years later,

his talk show guests have changed.

He picks up the phone, live on air,

and calls in the police.

There's a growing demand

from our fellow citizens

for a basic right to law and order.

Over time,

Michel Field has skillfully adopted

the habits of his fellow stars.

Casino is a great group.

It's yours.

We can't wait to see

the se new products on the shelves.

Michel,

here's a standard checkout sign...

I recognize it.

And here's our new one.

"Next Smile"

Five years on,

Michel Field hosts a UMP party rally

urging "Yes"

to the European Constitution.

Please welcome Arnaud Lagardere.

He brings on Arnaud Lagardere,

the owner of the radio station

for which he works.

Michel Field welcomes you

to the Discovery Caf

on Europe 1.

We find him in the early afternoon,

swapping childhood dreams

with Claire Chazal.

What started your love of dance?

Since I was young...

You've guessed where Michel Field

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