The towel is burning between RTBF journalists and their senior hierarchy. Gathered in a general assembly extended to all information professions on Wednesday, 204 members of the Society of Journalists (SDJ) expressed their discontent in a massive way. Thus, to the question “Do you still have confidence in the members of the RTBF executive committee?”, a large majority of the assembly answered in the negative. Contrary to what had been announced by Sudinfoat the beginning of the afternoon, the RTBF journalists did not vote for a motion of no confidence in the management.
During this same general assembly, the journalists noted that the SDJ had, “not just”, sounded the alarm for years on the malaise within the editorial staff of RTBF. “Today, confidence is shaken. This rupture is undoubtedly exacerbated by the dramatic event which has mourned the RTBF (reference to the suicide, which took place on February 14 on the Reyers site, by journalist Alain Dremière, Editor’s note)”can we read in the letter sent by the office of the SDJ to the chairman of the board of directors and to the members of the executive committee of the RTBF (including in particular Jean-Paul Philippot, general administrator, and Jean-Pierre Jacqmin, news director).
To read: “Never again such a tragedy can happen again”: the editorial staff of the RTBF, in mourning, awaits change after the suicide of Alain Dremière
Book of demands
Despite the breach of trust, the SDJ office reaches out to management by saying that it is on the side of solutions and a frank and constructive dialogue. “Many members of the assembly point out that this trust can be restored through tangible and rapid progress on specific projects”. Among these sites, the SDJ claims a “substantial improvement in working conditions” freelancers and workers in insecure situations; a “sail reduction […] consistent with a fair balance between allocated resources and strategic objectives” RTBF; A “better management process for long-term patients” at their return ; or even a “organization of working time more in line with professional and private realities” of all company employees.
To read: After the suicide of a journalist, the analysis of the situation at RTBF will probably go through an audit: “The company must be exemplary”
Pending progress on these various points, the general assembly of RTBF journalists voted unanimously (minus 4 abstentions) on the need to “immediately” launch a procedure to conduct an audit, conducted by an external and independent service provider, on the operation of RTBF. “Aware of the delays involved in this process, a majority of journalists are in favor of the idea of quickly submitting a questionnaire to assess the organization of the editorial staff. […] The SDJ wishes to be associated with the development of the questionnaire and the analysis of its results”.