A French public broadcaster sparked widespread condemnation this week after its primetime news programme apparently decided it was necessary to censor classical statues in the background of an interview.
A statue sculpted in 1894 by Louis Cosme Demaille was apparently too risqué for France Télévisions flagship France 2 broadcaster. The classical-style sculpture, which depicted a naked couple embracing, was blurred during Tuesday’s instalment of its evening programme “20 Heures”.
It came as French constitutional law expert Benjamin Morel was being interviewed in the public garden at Issy-les-Moulineaux square, where the statue is located.
The decision made by the programme hosted by its controversial presenter, the Lebanese-born French journalist Léa Salamé quickly drew outrage on social media.
One user was quoted by Le Figaro as joking: “Artificial intelligence to the rescue of stupidity. Respect the anonymity of the statutes, even the European Union had never thought of it.”
Prominent French entrepreneur Jérôme Bourreau-Guggenheim mockingly questioned whether it was a “new standard” that Salamé would apply to her reports.
Others questioned if a more sinister motive was behind the decision. National Rally MP Jean-Philippe Tanguy remarked, “After censoring crosses and Judeo-Christian culture, France TV censors a work of art in the name of prudishness.
“In the name of what, if not Islamist obscurantism? We must not give an inch, long live artistic nudity!”
The broadcaster quickly backed down and apologised; however, it did not explain why the statue was blurred.
In a post on social media, the account for 20 Heures said on Wednesday: “Last night, during a segment on the number of laws in France, we mistakenly aired an interview with a blurred background. This individual initiative was unwarranted. We apologise to our viewers.”
It is just the latest controversy to befall the programme since Salamé took over as its presenter last year. The Lebanese-born journalist has faced frequent backlash for inaccurate statements made on the public airwaves.
However, perhaps most controversially, Salamé is in a long-term romantic relationship with French Member of European Parliament Raphaël Glucksmann, raising questions about her ability to remain impartial.
The issue will likely be magnified in the future, given that Glucksmann is widely rumoured to be planning to throw his hat into the ring for next year’s presidential election to replace Emmanuel Macron.
Even beyond his partner, Glucksmann appears to be a favourite of the left-wing establishment media in Paris, with an undercover recording last year revealing that two state-funded journalists plotted to steer their audiences toward supporting his candidacy.
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