French journalist rapped for ‘Jewish influence’ question

Broadcaster watchdog reprimands Jean-Jacques Bourdin for asking ex-foreign minister about PM’s alleged bias

ed note–it goes without saying, but we’ll say it nonetheless. If it were ANY OTHER group of people surrounding him, and if he made decisions that in 11 out f 10 cases were favorable to this group, it would be PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE to ask whether so-and-so was ‘being influenced’ by this group.

When the ‘J’ word comes into play however, the rules mysteriously change for some reason…

Although no one really knows if Voltaire said it or not, nevertheless the truism is the same–

‘To determine who the true rulers of any society are, all you must do is ask yourself this question: Who is it that I am not permitted to criticize?’

Times of Israel

France’s national watchdog on broadcasters reprimanded a journalist who asked a politician whether the country’s prime minister was “under Jewish influence.”

The Superior Audiovisual Council, or CSA, criticized a presenter for the BFMTV television station and the RMC radio broadcaster, over an interview he conducted last month with ex-French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas, the Le Figaro daily reported Sunday.

During the Feb. 16 interview, Dumas said of Prime Minister Manuel Valls, “He has personal alliances, everyone knows he is married to someone – a distinguished person – who has influence over him.”

Following up on Dumas’ statement, Jean-Jacques Bourdin asked Dumas, “Is Valls under Jewish influence?” Dumas replied, “Probably, I would think so.”

Valls, who many Jews hold in high esteem for his strong-worded rejections of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism and prosecution of inciters of hate, is married to Jewish violinist Anne Garvoin. In 2011 he said during a public appearance that his marriage connected him “in an eternal way” to Israel and the Jewish people.

The council said that Bourdin’s question “served to banalize and advertise discriminatory behaviors,” Le Figaro reported. It put BFMTV, RMC and Bourdin on notice, but did not impose any fines.

But NextRadioTV, a commercial group comprising both sanctioned broadcasters, defended them as “careful not to promote discriminatory behaviors” and warned that the council’s decision to put them on notice “risks weighing down on freedom of expression.