Media blacklisted by LVMH, journalists fight back

It’s clear that Bernard Arnault and the media don’t get along well. On Monday, September 18, La Lettre, a journal specializing in the luxury sector, revealed an internal LVMH memo sent by the billionaire himself, in which he ordered his teams to formally ban any interaction with seven independent media outlets including Mediapart and Le Canard Enchaîné, outside of official communication channels. In other words, any "off-record" interactions with journalists listed on the blacklist, which he refers to as "so-called investigative sites that use the public's interest in luxury to attract a sensationalist new readership", would be considered a serious offense, carrying the risk of dismissal. Faced with this blow to freedom of expression, which the luxury company has yet to deny, over forty journalist associations and editorial teams have expressed their solidarity with the media outlets affected in a statement published online. Among the signatories are Arte, BFM TV, Le Monde, as well as three of the seven targeted outlets: Mediapart, L’Informé, and Miss Tweed, along with Le Parisien and Les Échos, both part of the LVMH group.

The signatories strongly emphasize that the role of the press is not to relay the official communications of companies and institutions, but to inform, which is one of the pillars of democracy. "Beyond criticizing the explicit targeting of the seven mentioned outlets – and the implicit disdain of this memo for the work of other editorial teams – the journalist associations salute the courage of those who provide journalists with valuable testimonies and information to allow them to fulfill their mission daily," declares the statement. The seven blacklisted outlets – Mediapart, L’Informé, Le Canard Enchaîné, Glitz Paris, Miss Tweed, Puck, and La Lettre – share a common trait: they are independent media unafraid to cover the less glamorous side of luxury. Just days before the memo was leaked, La Lettre had published an article about two of Arnault’s sons joining LVMH’s board of directors, a publication likely displeasing to the 75-year-old businessman, as he stated in his email: "I add that we are a family-owned group, and I remind everyone of the formal ban on communicating any information or comments about the family."

Moreover, except for Puck and Miss Tweed, all these outlets operate on an economic model that doesn’t rely on advertising from major sponsors to ensure their journalistic independence. This makes it harder for the luxury magnate to exert potential financial or political pressure on them. This censorship attempt has alarmed the journalistic world, especially since Bernard Arnault owns several media outlets. Carine Fouteau, president and editorial director of Mediapart, told Libération: "It’s deplorable and shows how little this billionaire cares about the freedom to inform and the right to know. It’s tragic when you consider that Bernard Arnault is also a media owner. My thoughts go out to his teams, whom he intimidates with this memo, and to the journalists working for the outlets he owns. From our side, this will in no way hinder our determination to investigate and inform the public." While the CEO’s objective was to silence these outlets, it appears the opposite is happening, as this scandal has been reported by numerous media outlets in recent days, increasing visibility for the targeted news organizations.