Home > Signature of the Marseille Charter. Interview with political scientist Hélène Thiollet and journalist Julia Montfort

Signature of the Marseille Charter. Interview with political scientist Hélène Thiollet and journalist Julia Montfort

01/06/2025

During the 2025 Marseille Journalism Conference (Assises du journalism de Marseille), a new charter was presented to thoroughly review the media's coverage of migration issues. Entitled Charte de Marseille (Marseille Charter on Information and Migrations), it is intended as a code of ethics for journalists in a context of growing disinformation and ideological polarisation. In this interview, Julia Montfort, a journalist committed to teaching the profession and member of the charter's editorial committee, and Hélène Thiollet, a political scientist and CNRS researcher at CERI Sciences Po, discuss the origins and objectives of this unique project and its link to research.

What is the origin of the Marseille Charter project?

The political events of 2024 highlighted the difficulties faced by many media outlets in providing factual and informed coverage of migration issues. Human mobility is a major political and social issue in France, Europe, and the contemporary world. Journalists have a responsibility to cover these topics with care and accuracy. In line with the major texts on journalistic ethics and the charter for journalism that meets the ecological emergency, it became necessary to engage in a collective reflection on journalistic practices related to the coverage of migration. The current context is marked by a transformation of the political economy of the media in France (notably the takeover of Vivendi and its media bouquet by the Bolloré group in 2015), which could have political effects1 similar to those seen in the United States,2 through the increased spread of disinformation,3 particularly via social media, and growing ideological and emotional polarisation. We felt that this context was conducive to reflection on the needs of editorial teams. The aim was to identify and disseminate good practices to improve the treatment of information on migration. The Marseille Charter is intended as an ethical compass, which incorporates and applies existing reference texts on migration issues. It is by no means an “information police” or a supervisory body. It specifies how journalistic ethics should be applied to migration issues and encourages journalists to train themselves in this demanding subject. Through its 11 articles, it promotes accurate and comprehensive coverage of migration, in accordance with the law and with respect for human dignity.

How was the charter developed, and who participated?

In 2024, an editorial committee composed of seven people, including Julia Montfort, was formed, bringing together Leila Amar, journalist for the online media outlet Guiti News; Antoine Chuzeville, journalist at France Télévision and representative of the National Union of Journalists (SNJ); Eric Nahon; and Sedera Ranaivoarinosy, journalists and members of the associations Journalisme et Citoyenneté and the International Network of Journalists IJNet in French. To draft the charter, the committee drew on reference texts on professional ethics such as the Munich Declaration, the SNJ's Charter of Professional Ethics, and the International Federation of Journalists' (IFJ) Global Charter of Ethics. It also drew inspiration from the Rome and Idomeni charters on the treatment of migration, as well as a study conducted by the association Désinfox-Migrations, in connection with the DIMIG research project “Discourse and Migration” funded by the Institut Convergence Migrations and the CMD project “The Crisis of Migration Discourses”, both led by Hélène Thiollet at CERI Sciences Po. The collective behind the charter for journalism that addresses climate issues, mentioned above, was also consulted.

In March 2025, the text was presented at a workshop at the Assises du Journalisme in Tours. The collective incorporated suggestions from a panel of 30 French and exiled journalists, trade union representatives and journalism students. The editorial committee also conducted interviews with researchers, migration experts, and journalists involved in similar charter projects to identify the factors contributing to the success of these initiatives. A survey of journalists working in France provided a better understanding of the realities of newsrooms and enabled the drafting of responses tailored to their practical needs. On 29 April 2025, the Charter was officially launched at the Assises du Journalisme in Marseille.

What reaction has the charter provoked in the media?

The Marseille Charter immediately attracted widespread media interest and enthusiasm among editorial teams. To date, 35 media outlets have signed it, including France Médias Monde, Deutsche Welle, Alternatives Économiques, Mediapart, Loopsider, Politis, L'Humanité, So Good, Splann, La Marseillaise, Au Poste, Euradio, Mediarama, Rue89 Bordeaux and Rue89 Lyon. It has also received the support of the main trade unions in the profession: SNJ, CFDT Journalistes, FIJ, SNJ-CGT, and GAARD, the union for reportage and documentary filmmakers. Reporters Without Borders is also among the supporters, as are six journalism schools. In addition, many journalists have signed the charter in their individual capacity.

The charter has also attracted interest and criticism from media outlets promoting conservative values, where airtime devoted to migration has never been greater. For the charter's initiators, all the debates it provokes are a step forward: the media community must question itself and engage in debate. The text of the charter is only a starting point for collective reflection on how to improve practices and combat disinformation, racism, and discrimination, which are condemned by law. Without any political agenda, the charter calls for respect for the rules of a demanding profession that is a pillar of our democracies. We call on the media to debate and commit alongside us to respecting the law and the fundamental ethical principles that govern the profession.

What role does research play in the development of this charter and in the media coverage of migration?

Migration is a complex and explosive issue. Media coverage of migration, particularly since the summer of 2015, has been profoundly transformed by what has been called the “migration crisis”. The general public felt the need to better understand the movements of Syrian refugees in Europe and the policies of welcome or non-welcome put in place in European countries. This period was decisive in encouraging journalists not only to cover migration issues more and better, but also to reflect on the role of the media in the politicisation of this issue.

Since 2015, these politicisation issues have been amplified, particularly during presidential campaigns and through recurring media cycles. Research conducted by Hélène Thiollet and Michelle Reddy, with Etienne Toureille (University of Rouen) and Romain Leconte (École Normale Supérieure), has even shown that migration was not only the subject of media polarisation, but had also become a recurring theme in the print media, which could be exploited during election periods. This research highlights the need to question both the intensity and the methods of journalistic coverage of migration. It also highlights the gap between the reality of migration flows and their representation in the media, as well as the role of the press in constructing and accentuating this politicisation.

Projects such as DIMIG, which explores media discourse on human mobility, have helped to establish a link between journalists' questions and the work of researchers. Journalists have expressed the need to strengthen their links with social science research, a need that is clearly expressed in the charter. Researchers, for their part, also want to communicate better with the media community. The role of organisations such as Désinfox-Migrations or mediation institutions such as the Institut Convergence Migrations is central to ensuring the dissemination of scientific information to the general public, through traditional media or social networks. This link strengthens journalists in their practices and professional ethics, making research directly useful to society.

Interview by Miriam Périer, CERI

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