Facing the far right, independent media take a stand

We're here. In a political climate where the dissolution of the National Assembly follows a sinister breakthrough by the far right in the European elections, a breakthrough whose rhetoric has been normalized for years, independent media have no choice left: they must take a stand, organize themselves, reaffirm their usefulness and speak, speak, speak. So they must imagine new explanatory formats, adapt their editorial output, and clearly state their position.

Some skeptics might downplay their role, claiming they are merely preaching to the converted. This is not entirely wrong, but it is far from the whole truth. Let us not underestimate the depth and reach of the commitment of media outlets that seek to bring about new, more inclusive and more egalitarian models of society. Let us not overlook these spaces of resistance and reconstruction, which catalyze collective awareness and strengthen civic mobilization.

Taking a stand today means showing that free and committed journalism can transform society. In times of disillusionment like the one we're experiencing, let's believe in these media's ability to reach the undecided, to inform, to provide counterarguments, to mobilize collectively, and to embed these narratives in our society.

Many media outlets, publishers, and bookstores are already doing this. We've catalogued them. By July 7, this article will be updated regularly. Please let us know about any initiatives we might have missed.

Those who adjust their schedule

• The survey site in series form Les Jours is shaking up its schedule by launching a three-week live series — one episode a day — to cover political movements leading up to the legislative elections. A series of articles also broken down and adapted for social media, unfolding as a giant thread.

• StreetPress, an online investigative media outlet specializing in urban cultures, is launching FAF, its newsletter that decodes the far right at a weekly frequency.

Those who make their position explicit

• At Mediapart, Lénaïg Bredoux, editorial codirector and head of gender issues, and Carine Fouteau, president and publisher, sign an op-ed in support of a left-wing coalition against the far right.
• The online media StreetPress publishes an editorial signed by its editor-in-chief Mathieu Molard in which he explains to his readers why and how the media intends to take part in this movement. At the end of this op-ed, StreetPress invites readers to answer a questionnaire in order to gather ideas from its audience about the actions and projects the media should launch before the elections.
• Mosaïque, a print and online magazine specializing in rap, takes a stand with its slogan. "How can you claim to love rap without standing against the far right?" the media displays in bold black and white on its social networks, also recommending support for the left-wing alliance. A reference to lyrics from the track Boxe avec les mots by the group Ärsenik: "Who claims to make rap without taking a stance?"

• Independent online magazine Grünt, specializing in hip-hop cultures, publishes a statement in which it declares itself in favor of the coalition momentum initiated by the Popular Front in order to protect [its] freedom to practice, promote culture, defend the arts and artists.
• To get its message across, the epistolary media outlet La Disparition devotes an edition of its newsletter to the political situation, recalling words spoken by Léon Blum before the Chamber in 1936, following the Popular Front's victory in the legislative elections and calling for unity.
• Following the resharing of slogans calling for a "popular front" against the far right, outdoor media outlet Les Others reports receiving dozens of messages asking its editorial team to "stay neutral" and "stay in its lane." The online media thus chose to clarify its position in an Instagram post, reaffirming the values of Others and its team's desire to "do its part to prevent the worst."
• Synth, an online media outlet that explores the impact of artificial intelligence on our lives and imaginations, publishes a blog post under the pen of its founder Gerald Holubowicz to question tech's responsibility in the far-right results in the European elections and propose paths for engagement. Among these: getting involved with associations, unions or collectives fighting against tech's excesses and supporting independent media.
• The Nantes media outlet Les Autres Possibles has positioned itself in support of the Popular Front and explains wanting to channel its energy "toward producing free and plural information, workshops and events imbued with [their] values: the defense of social and climate justice."

Those who access the archives

• Until the legislative elections, Éditions du commun will regularly publish "excerpts from [their] books, those that [seem to them] support political action and organization" and offer to share their texts in paper or PDF format "with the assemblies being formed to bring the left to victory".

• Who better than France's National Audiovisual Institute (INA) to shed light on current events through archives? On Instagram, the Institute notes that "in 2018, Éric Ciotti, then an LR deputy, opposed any electoral agreement with Marine Le Pen's party. "

Those who stand together

• Several media outlets, actors and actresses from the rap and popular culture scene publish an open letter in which they call for a "counter-offensive by new generation media" against the far right, fascism and all forms of discrimination.
• Costanza Spina, journalist, author and co-founder of the cultural media outlet Manifesto XXI calls on the public to support queer and feminist media and urges these outlets to help one another. "Giving, sharing, reading, buying from independent media is like voting."
• The journalists' unions SNJ, SNJ-CGT and CFDT Journalistes encourage journalists to mobilize and demonstrate against the far right in all French cities. The unions also specify that they will be "standing alongside every newsroom and every journalist who faces political or hierarchical pressure regarding news coverage."

• Johan Weisz-Myara, co-founder of the online media outlet StreetPress, offers companies resources and connections with journalists and experts who can speak to their employees about the impact of the National Rally's program on businesses. StreetPress also organized a free event six days before the first round of legislative elections alongside six left-wing figures to explore how to engage effectively.
• The Divergences bookstore, founded by the publishing house of the same name, offers to think of its space as « a space of struggle where people can gather and organize ».
• In an editorial by its co-founder Loup Espargilière, the ecology media outlet Vert invites its readers to "Get involved, in every way possible, in collectives, unions, associations, think tanks, or political parties" and to "Support independent media outlets that, since their creation, have fought against the threat of far-right extremism and have worked to develop alternatives to its deadly agenda."
• The media On est prêt on environmental and social news and Voxe, a female empowerment newsletter, are partnering to create a platform called « Paumé·es dans ma dissolution ». It offers tools and resources to learn about the stakes of the upcoming elections.
• Ajar (Association of Antiracist and Racialized Journalists) publishes a Toolkit for Resisting Far-Right Extremism in the Newsroom to prevent the normalization of certain terms stemming from far-right ideology in media productions.
• More than 90 media outlets, including Médianes, have united to sign this statement and denounce the far-right project that threatens press freedom and society as a whole.
• Reporterre, an ecology news outlet, organized an event in Paris on Monday, June 24 to "reaffirm together our commitment to fighting climate skepticism, racism, and homophobia." The event will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.
• On June 27, more than a hundred independent media outlets, trade unions, human rights organizations and citizen movements organized a rally against the far right at Place de la République in Paris. Another rally will take place on July 3 with speeches and concerts.

Those who engage through visuals

• The daily Libération dedicated its front page of the June 11 edition to the need for a popular front. The magazine Society did the same for its June 26 issue.

• The news outlet for economic, social and environmental news Basta! publishes a map cataloging some fifty violent incidents carried out by the far right in Brittany and Loire-Atlantique between January 2023 and May 2024.

Those who adapt their editorial production

• The mental health specialist media mūsae indicates changing its editorial programming to offer content explaining the links between mental health and politics, reminding that standing against self-hatred and hatred of others makes it possible to build social bonds, and why it is crucial to build a popular front.
• The video media outlet Loopsider is launching a video series debunking the false promises of the National Rally.
• Booska-P, a media outlet specializing in popular culture, is launching a series of videos featuring engaged testimonies from "voters who aren't being heard" to encourage standing together against the far right.

• The media criticism site Arrêt sur images broadcast a live stream on Twitch during Emmanuel Macron's June 12 press conference to analyze the setup, questions, and the president's talking points.
• Mediavivant, which presents articles on stage in Marseille, is devoting its next investigation to Mediterranean doctors who provide support to the French healthcare system and who would be threatened if the far right comes to power.
• On Instagram, the epistolary media La Disparition presents three things set to disappear if the far right wins the legislative elections — birthright citizenship and family reunification, headscarves in public spaces and public broadcasting — and three things that won't disappear if the far right wins: retirement at 64, police violence and nuclear power.
• Feminist magazine La Déferlante announces it will dedicate its next issue to feminist resistance against far-right ideas.
• The collective of independent journalists and citizens based in Marseille Presse-Papiers is launching a series to decode what an RN victory would concretely mean for residents of Marseille.
• Kometa, the magazine turning toward the East, invites its contributors to recommend readings "to step back and think about the present."

Those who make themselves accessible

• The Brief.me newsletter is offering free coverage of European election results.
• Reflets, an online investigation publication about digital issues, removes its paywall until the end of the legislative elections.
• Trouble editions, which publishes the feminist journal Censored among other works, provides free access to certain chapters of their Manifesto for a Deviant Democracy that analyze the rise of fascism in the West.
• Mediapart is making its investigation freely accessible on the consequences of a far-right rise to power.

To go further

• For a united media front against the far right: As the far right stands at the gates of power in France, more than 90 media outlets, including Médianes, unite to sign this statement and denounce its project, which threatens press freedom and society as a whole.
• This article offers 10 essential recommendations for independent media, and highlights key principles such as inclusivity, accessibility, and transparency. The idea? To work toward building horizons more aligned with society's needs and rebuild connections with audiences.
• During the third edition of the Festival Imprimé, which Médianes co-organized last May alongside Revue Far Ouest, we hosted a discussion on the normalization of the far right in the media. A compelling exchange featuring passionate debates, firsthand accounts, and solutions alongside journalists from StreetPress, Mediapart, Arrêt sur images and Rue89 Bordeaux.
• Rémi-Kenzo Pagès, one of the spokespeople for the Association of Antiracist and Racialized Journalists (AJAR), reflects on a year marked by rapid growth for the young association and several significant media episodes.
• Initially a journalist in the political desk, Lénaïg Bredoux has been, since 2020, editorial lead on gender issues at Mediapart. Or gender editor, depending on who you ask. The investigative outlet has implemented concrete policies, and while newsrooms are becoming aware of the changes ahead, progress remains slow.
• The findings are clear and studies show it: women and minorities are underrepresented in the media. Beyond the numbers that help raise awareness of the problem, solutions exist.