“She found the right words”: Pascal Praud supports Sonia Mabrouk after her criticism of Jean-Marc Morandini remaining on CNews

The turmoil of the Morandini affair continues to agitate CNews. After Sonia Mabrouk, it is Pascal Praud’s turn to publicly distance himself from his colleague, whose sentence of two years in prison and a 20,000 euro fine for corruption of minors was validated by the Court of Cassation on January 14.

In a tweet published this Saturday, January 24, which wanted to challenge the interpretation given by certain media to a quote attributed to him by the newspaper Le Monde in a recent article, the star presenter of “L’Heure des pros” wanted to publicly display his support for his colleague.

“I hereby express all my solidarity with Sonia (Mabrouk). She found the right words. I could have said almost the same words,” wrote Pascal Praud about his comrade’s outing on the Morandini affair live on CNews, Tuesday morning.

“I say here what I think with the greatest transparency”

Pascal Praud continued: “Everyone was able to hear on CNews that I have always been committed against sexual violence and sexist behavior. I obviously think of the victims, added the star of channel 14. CNews is the channel for freedom of expression. I say here what I think with the greatest transparency. » As a reminder, Pascal Praud broadcasts to Jean-Marc Morandini every morning.

Words almost similar to those chosen by Sonia Mabrouk, whose midday news segment is broadcast just after “Morandini Live”. “I am personally committed to the fight against sexual and gender-based violence. I am thinking this morning, like you and with you, of the victims, whoever they may be, and of the youngest victims. I’m thinking of the minors,” the political interviewer said to her guest of the day, the PS deputy Jérôme Guedj, who questioned her on the subject.

“There is no need for ambiguity. It is not variable geometry. This is not negotiable. French justice has passed,” the journalist also said when we contacted him that day by telephone, believing that if Jean-Marc Morandini was one of his “close people”, she would have advised him to “take a step back” from himself.

“In terms of image, it’s devastating for us”

A public position which added to the discomfort felt by many internally. “It’s indefensible and shameful,” a face from the Bolloré galaxy told us last week about the decision to keep the host on the air. “In terms of image, it’s devastating for us. How will we continue to treat certain themes on the air? This taints all the faces of the CNews antenna as well as the editorial staff. We are giving a wonderful gift to our detractors,” said another.

The management of CNews, for its part, is currently sticking to its position adopted after the decision of the Court of Cassation. “Jean-Marc Morandini continues his fight for justice and he remains on the air on CNews,” the channel then informed AFP. The sixty-year-old assured that he was now considering taking the case to the European Court of Human Rights.

By maintaining it at all costs, Canal + has returned to the commitment made when the presenter arrived on its airwaves ten years ago. “In the event of conviction, Jean-Marc Morandini and iTélé (became CNews) have already planned that he would leave the group without compensation,” the audiovisual group promised in a press release in August 2016.