“ MEDIA AND PROXIMITY ” January 22-24, 2020
The question of proximity with our audiences and with the field has not stopped haunting the debate on the media and especially within our Catholic media for whom this dimension has always been crucial and nourishing. It keeps reappearing. But it has taken a wider place all around the world where journalists are accused of doing their job when they are cut off from economical and social realities. This confidence crisis has been nourishing the anti-media charges of populist projects which keep gaining ground on every continent. In France, the sequence of “ yellow jackets ” has underlined this obvious split.
François Ernenwein, Jean-Marie Montel,
Programme Coordinator. President of the Federation of Catholic Media.
TO BE HELD IN LOURDES, FRANCE IN THREE LANGUAGES.
Wednesday 22nd of January, 2020
z 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. / Hôtel Panorama / 11-13 rue Sainte-Marie
Accueil • Remise des dossiers • L’accueil se fera ensuite à l’entrée du hall de l’hémicycle
z 12:00 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. / Hôtel Saint-Sauveur / 9-13 rue Sainte-Marie : Lunch
z 2 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. / Visitor Information Centre at the Sanctuary
Introductory film on the Lourdes message
z 2:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. / Guided tours starting from the Visitor Information Centre
Visit of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in the footsteps of Saint Bernadette
and/or Visit of Cité Saint-Pierre, in the spirit of its founder Bishop Jean Rodhain
z 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. / Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
Opening Mass
of the 24th International St. Francis de Sales Days
z 5:45 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. / Entrance of the Conference Hall : Coffee break
z 6:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. / Conference Hall
Opening of the event
Mr Jean-Marie Montel, President of the Federation of Catholic Media
Mrs Helen Osman, President of Signis World
Mr Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication at the Vatican
An overview of the meeting by François Ernenwein, Programme coordinator
1. The horizon of proximity
z 6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. / Conference Hall
[ A categorical imperative ]
Proximity with the readers, even if not formalized within the editorial boards is at the very heart of editorial
choices and practices. It is also at the heart of Christian communication.
n With François-Xavier Lefranc, editor-in-chief, Ouest France and Serge Schemmann, american orthodoxe
born in France, editorialist of the International Herald Tribune for the New York Times (with reservations).
z 7:45 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. / Conference Hall
[ Shareholders, journalists and audiences ]
It is not just enough to have quality editorial projects or fundings at the level of what is at stake to meet
their audience. A brand needs to be considered as a community where the potential customers can
find a reasonable place for it.
nWith Cristina Montoya, professor at the Santo Tomas university of Bogota (Colombia) and Benoît Raphaël,
expert in digital transformation and media innovation at Nice-Matin, and media consultant.
z From 9 p.m. / Hôtel Panorama / 11-13 rue Sainte-Marie
Walking buffet
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Thursday 23rd of January
z 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. / Basilica of the Immaculate Conception : Mass
2. Journalistic distance and proximity
at the time of a digital word
z 8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. / Conference Hall
[ Praise of journalistic distance ]
Editorial independence, a certain distance from personal convictions and social belongings within the
job of journalist and the search for objectivity are not always understood by audiences. Neutrality of
tone and vocabulary remains a necessity.
nWith Fadi Noun, daily reporter at L’Orient-Le Jour,of Beirut (Lebanon) et Didier Pourquery, chairman of the
Board of directors of The Conversation.
z 9:45 a.m. – 10:45a.m. / Conference Hall
[ Social media and the illusion of proximity ]
However, social media set up false proximity. Information senders are presented like friends but with
no other legitimacy than this proximity as informers. It is the kingdom of the illusion of networking information.
But reasonable and rational use (non hysterical) of those social media can open up to surprising
possibilities.
nWith Samuel Petit, editor-in-chief ofTélégramme of Brest (with reservations) and an author of the Éditions
Salvator (with reservations).
z 10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. / Entrance of the Conference Hall : Coffee break
3. Geographical proximity
z 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. / Conference Hall
[ How can distances be reduced within globalization ? ]
Economic globalization has shrunk the world. Cultural exchanges have developed tremendously. This
opening is real but it is unevenly shared and it is rather badly accompanied. Local and international networks
of journalists (Catholics but not only) can reduce those distances.
nWith Marton Demeter, professor of communication sciences at Budapest (Hungary) and Lucie Saar, journalist
at La Croix Africa (with reservations).
z 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. / Conference Hall
[ At the most local level ]
In connection with the choices of press genres, there is a real necessity to come as close as possible to
the field, precisely where people live and to give them an opportunity to speak. The relevance of editorial
comments is more and more contested. For immersed journalism (Kapuscinski), the opposite of “embedded”.
nWith Guy Constant Ehoumi, responsible for the ethical communication of the Beninese media, and Gabriel
d’Harcourt, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of La Voix du Nord.
z 1:45 p.m.– 3:30 p.m. / Hôtel Saint-Sauveur / 9-13 rue Sainte-Marie : Lunch
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z Conference Hall and other venues nearby
Workshops, with a great witness
z 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. / First session of workshops to choose from
[ The media, endogamy and complicity ]
The recruiting of journalists is sociologically and culturally marked, which keeps a great distance between
the audiences and their preoccupations. The way of life of the most publicised people maintains
this image. There are some patches to fix it and to fight against this endogamy and the feeling of complicity
with the authorities. Christian press doesn’t escape such traps.
nWith the expertise of Arnaud Schwartz, director of the School of journalism of Bordeaux.
[ Associate the audiences with our projects ]
Among the most urgent innovations we need to lead in order to reinforce this proximity with our audiences,
the one consisting in associating them more tightly with the elaboration of our editorial projects
is on top of the list. There is indeed a social demand. It was one of l’Ebdo’s best intuitions. And it
would be a shame not to honour it. Some ways and means are still to be explored to reach that goal.
nWith the expertise of Didier Pourquery, chairman of the Board of directors of The Conversation.
z 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. / Second session of workshops to choose from
[ Ressources in press genres ]
In this case, the choice of press genres is more or less used for this project. Studies of genres.
nWith the expertise of Monica Mondo, journalist à TV 2000.
[ Public interest as spur ]
The media need to show more that what they produce serve public interests. This is a strong point to
reinforce the link with our audiences. But the weight of advertisers and shareholders in France doesn’t
offer so many guarantees against the power of particular interests. Hence the powerful confidence crisis.
nWith the expertise of Alexandre Meyer, editor-in-chief of L’1visible.
z 6:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. / Third session of workshops to choose from
[ The assets and weaknesses of local information ]
Local information is booming. The press, TV channels, local radio stations count on that a lot. But because
of economical reasons, they can barely fulfil this promise better than national media. In France,
there are information “ black holes ”.
n With the expertise of Guy Constant Ehoumi, responsible for the ethical communication of the Beninese
media.
[ The community’s point ]
Conversely, there can be a point in strengthening the proximity with our audiences. We have to imagine
real or virtual communities to reinforce a feeling of belonging. Such offers as trips, cruises, evenings
out and conferences widely contribute to that feeling. We have to provide communities with titles.
nWith the expertise of Marton Demeter, professor of communication sciences at Budapest (Hungary).
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z 7:15 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. / Entrance of the Conference Hall : Coffee break
z 7:45 p.m.– 8:30 p.m. / Conference Hall
“ Father Jacques-Hamel ” Award
founded by the Federation of Catholic Media, given out by
his Eminence the Cardinal Philippe Ouedraogo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Ouagadougou
(Burkina Faso), President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences for Africa and Madagascar,
in the presence of Madame Roselyne Hamel, sister of the murdered priest
z From 8:45 p.m. / Hôtel Panorama / 11-13 rue Sainte-Marie
Walking buffet
Friday 24th of January, 2020
z 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. / Basilica of the Immaculate Conception :
Mass of the St.-Francis-de-Sales
chaired by his Eminence the Cardinal Philippe Ouedraogo
4. Proximity and long time
z 8:45 a.m.– 9:45 a.m. / Conference Hall
[ The traps of immediacy ]
The hysterical crave for information and the race for scoop and audience have deeply perverted the
job. The irruption of new technologies that set up real time journalism has reinforced this trend. But
this staging around unique topics disrupts the work consisting in prioritizing information and it gives a
distorted view of reality.
nWith Jacques Trentesaux, cofounder of Mediacités, online journal en ligne of multi-city local investigation,
and Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Dicastery for the Communication of the Holy See.
z 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. / Conference Hall
[ Time as an ally of truth ]
Fake news circulating at the speed of light generally increase the lack of trust in the media. Checking
every information takes some time. Renowned information brands play a key role in order to fight
against misinformation (fake news) and “storytelling” from the authorities. Truth needs time to be revealed.
We shouldn’t give up on that requirement since it is the only one which renews the links of
trustful relations and proximity with our audiences. There is indeed a true demand for traceability of
information in order to get to the original source.
nWith Dominique Wolton, sociologist (with reservations) and Philippe Randé, head of the reporting department
of France Inter (with reservations).
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z 10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. / Entrance of the Conference Hall : Tasting and sale of local products
z 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m./ Conference Hall
Closing remarks of the 24th International Days
Clear the future by reducing uncertainties
Consumers mainly require that the media reduce their uncertainties and help them clear the future.
This demand cannot be honoured by productions that have been produced with their noses up against
the event. We need to reintroduce some reading within lasting events to answer social demand.
z 12:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. / Hôtel Saint-Sauveur / 9-13 rue Sainte-Marie : Closing lunch
z 4:30 p.m. / Departure of shuttle buses for Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées Airport
N.B.This preliminary programme is given for information, with no final commitment. To this day, some contacts have been taken for participants and for French and foreign witnesses whose names will be provided as soon as possible.