Journalists and trade unions at BFMTV launched internal protests on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, over new presenter Sonia Mabrouk's move from rival CNews.
Two unions and the station's society of journalists expressed alarm that Mabrouk was bringing far-right commentators onto the channel, accusing management of failing to maintain political balance.
In a joint statement, the SNJ and CGT unions at parent company RMC BFM said the new show had become a parade of far-right personalities since its launch on Monday, August 24. They argued that Mabrouk was importing the editorial line of CNews while station executives looked the other way, accusing management of complacency.
CNews is a rival 24-hour news network controlled by conservative French billionaire Vincent Bolloré. Left-wing critics have accused CNews of promoting far-right political views, an allegation the channel denies. RMC BFM is the French media conglomerate that operates BFMTV, France's main commercial news network.
The unions highlighted specific guests appearing on Mabrouk's early shows, including entrepreneur Sophie de Menthon and essayist Céline Pina, a former CNews commentator. They also objected to plans for Mabrouk to conduct an un-contradicted 20-minute interview every Sunday with Robert Ménard, the right-wing mayor of Béziers.
Management defends strong viewing figures
Responding to inquiries from Agence France-Presse, BFMTV management said it was delighted to welcome Mabrouk and praised her initial broadcasts as particularly successful. Executives stated they had full confidence in her ability to foster pluralistic debate in keeping with the station's tradition of democratic exchange.
The new evening program, which airs daily from 6:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., drew an average of 375,000 viewers on its opening night and 363,000 on its second day. Management noted that these ratings surpassed the channel's usual performance in that time slot.
BFMTV is France's most-watched rolling news channel, historically positioning itself as a broad-appeal news network rather than an opinion-driven commentary channel.
Journalists warn against opinion channel shift
Meanwhile, BFMTV's society of journalists, known as the SDJ, issued an internal warning regarding political balance on set as France gradually enters the presidential campaign period. In a message to staff, the SDJ stated that the news channel must not become a pale copy of an opinion network.
The SDJ confirmed it held discussions with management on Monday and Tuesday regarding the controversial guest line-up. According to the newsroom association, executives conceded that the guest selections were mistakes and pledged that those commentators would not return.
Management also promised to exercise far greater scrutiny over guest credentials in the future and refrain from booking former CNews commentators. Executives added that they were actively seeking a left-wing personality to balance Ménard's regular Sunday appearances.
Presenter pledges healthy debate
Prior to her debut on BFMTV, Mabrouk had told Agence France-Presse that her show would feature strong opinions within a healthy conversation while acknowledging her focus on nation and identity. She insisted that she did not intend to transfer one newsroom's culture into another, adding that she was simply joining the channel as herself.
Mabrouk is a prominent broadcaster in France who built a high-profile media career across television and radio, frequently conducting major political interviews and publishing books on French national identity.
