BFMTV calls the accusations against its journalists unfounded
BFMTVTelevision news channel, in a statement posted by its corporate account
In a statement posted on X, BFMTV says it will not accept being the target of pressure or being used for political or destabilizing ends, says the election campaign cannot justify attacking a news outlet, and says it will always give all political currents a voice on its air.
Responding to
In the week after the October 17 protests, racist remarks and false information were broadcast on BFMTV without objection from its management or its presenters, and this racism has direct consequences for society.
“denounces the unfounded accusations made over the past 48 hours against its air and its journalists, victims of a public smear campaign, notably around Sonia Mabrouk (Translated from French. Original: dénonce les accusations sans fondement proférées depuis 48 heures contre son antenne et ses journalistes, victimes d'une campagne de dénigrement publique notamment autour de Sonia Mabrouk)”
Original post
Reporting
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Critics say BFMTV let racist remarks go unchallenged before the Trappes attack; the channel calls the accusations unfounded
On October 23, 2026, a gunman killed one person and wounded five in Trappes and La Verrière, west of Paris. France's anti-terrorism prosecutors opened an investigation for murder connected to a terrorist enterprise, with a racist aggravating circumstance, and Puremédias reports that according to the first findings the suspect wanted to avenge the looting of October 17 and chose his victims by skin color. That day, Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh said on BFMTV that the ideological discourse behind such attacks is also made on television sets. BFMTV cancelled an interview with Éric Zemmour planned for October 24. On October 24, Jean-Luc Mélenchon told a BFMTV reporter to calm down on racist remarks, and on October 25 deputy Louis Boyard said on the channel that politicians make racist remarks daily and that media give an unjust image of working-class neighborhoods. The SNJ and CGT unions at RMC BFM said racism now had a place on the channel's air. BFMTV said it would not accept being the target of pressure and denounced unfounded accusations against its journalists as a public smear campaign.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Statement by BFMTV, in French, posted as an image by BFMTV Inside, the channel's corporate account, on October 25, 2026. It calls the accusations of the previous 48 hours against the channel and its journalists unfounded, says the election campaign cannot justify attacking a news outlet, and says the channel reserves the right to take action if such practices recur.
Reporting
About this source
Puremédias report written with AFP, in French. It quotes Jean-Luc Mélenchon's October 24 remark to a BFMTV reporter, Louis Boyard's comments on BFMTV on October 25, BFMTV's statement that evening rejecting the accusations, and the statement by the SNJ and CGT unions at RMC BFM.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Puremédias report, in French, on the joint statement of October 25, 2026, by the SNJ and CGT unions at RMC BFM. It lists the on-air remarks the unions cite, including Éric Zemmour's reference to a "racaille arabo-musulmane" on Sonia Mabrouk's program on October 18, describes the Trappes and La Verrière attack of October 23, and summarizes BFMTV's response.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The AFP report published by Puremédias says Mélenchon and Boyard had accused the channel of letting racist remarks flourish on its air, notably by inviting Zemmour.
After the quotation
The same report says the SNJ and CGT unions at RMC BFM said that Sunday evening that racism now had a place on the channel's air.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case concerns whether BFMTV let racist remarks go unchallenged on air before the Trappes attack, as its critics say. BFMTV calls the accusations against its air and journalists unfounded, which denies the conduct its critics allege.
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More from this case
Read the full caseLouis Boyard faults media portrayals of working-class neighborhoods on BFMTV
“You have politicians who make racist remarks every day, but you also have media that give such an unjust image of working-class neighborhoods (Translated from French. Original: Vous avez des responsables politiques qui tiennent des propos racistes au quotidien, mais vous avez aussi des médias qui donnent une image des quartiers populaires qui est tellement injuste)”Read statement
CGT union at RMC BFM calls for an end to normalizing far-right ideas in its media
CGT RMC BFM
“Let us take our responsibilities. Let us stop normalizing far-right ideas in our media. (Translated from French. Original: Prenons nos responsabilités. Arrêtons de banaliser les idées d'extrême droite dans nos médias.)”Read statement
Mélenchon tells a BFMTV reporter the channel should calm down on racist remarks
“And you, BFM, start calming down on racist remarks of every kind, because this is getting to be too much (Translated from French. Original: Et vous, BFM, commencez à vous calmer sur les remarques racistes de toute sorte, parce que ça commence à bien faire)”Read statement
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- BFMTV calls the accusations against its journalists unfounded
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The Dispute Index. "BFMTV calls the accusations against its journalists unfounded". First published: 2026-10-31. Last updated: 2026-10-31. https://disputeindex.com/events/7552-in-a-statement-posted-on-x-bfmtv-says