The joint commission of publications and press agencies withdrew its approval on Wednesday November 30.
by Aude Dassonville
This time, France-Soir can no longer take advantage of being an online press service (SPEL). Thus decided on Wednesday, November 30, the joint commission of publications and press agencies (CPPAP), the independent organization responsible for allocating this certificate giving the right to certain aids. “The reason for the refusal to renew its certificate of recognition SPEL cannot be communicated before the notification of this decision to the applicant,” she said, adding that “the reasoned decision will be communicated directly to the publisher as soon as possible” .
According to Mind Media site , which revealed the information, the commission would have considered that the site, which has little to do with the former general daily daily whose name is, presents a” defect of general interest “. Invigorated by the health crisis, which offered him a presence on the Covido-Sceptique scene, FranceSoir.fr publishes content which undermines the protection of public health “, would have arrested the Commission. As an online information service, the site, funded by advertising and donations, could benefit from indirect aid (abatement on social security contributions and professional costs of journalists, reduced VAT rate on sales of content ‘Information) and exemptions (professional tax).
This approval had been examined in an early manner in April 2021, after former media journalists, as well as the National Syndicate of Journalists (SNJ), had launched a petition condemning the possibility left to the publication of “spreading in complete Impunity for false information and conspiracy theses dangerous for society “. At the time, the site had succeeded in proving “the presence of two permanent journalists and four freelancers”, the employment of at least one professional journalist in the editorial team being required to obtain the famous sesame. The Ministry of Culture, then occupied by Roselyne Bachelot, had also argued that the site presented “information, analyzes and comments (…) likely to clarify the judgment of citizens”.
The director of publication Xavier Azalbert immediately congratulated it in an editorial, regretting that “giving the floor to French citizens who express their point of view, as soon as it is different from the single thought (.. .), You automatically affupe a conspiratorial label “. Contacted, the manager did not follow up on our telephone call. He has a month to appeal this decision.