France: Petition to ban TV channel gets 500,000 signatures
Support for the petition has surged since last month's shooting of a Black man by a reported avid viewer of CNews. Critics say the channel, often compared to Fox News, is a platform for anti-immigrant sentiments.
A French petition demanding the shutdown of TV news channel CNews has garnered over 500,000 signatures, following the racially motivated killing of a black man in the Paris suburbs. The petition was launched in June, but gained traction after the October 23 incident. Prosecutors allege the suspect targeted people perceived as Muslim, African, or North African.
CNews, described as a French version of Fox News, is known for its hardline stance on immigration and crime. Critics argue the channel, owned by conservative billionaire Vincent Bollore, is a propaganda tool rather than a news outlet. The petition claims CNews's coverage mirrors far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen's rhetoric, who has promised to privatize public broadcasting.
Protesters have targeted CNews's Paris headquarters and called for its accreditation withdrawal from the French parliament. The channel has denied promoting far-right views, maintaining its commitment to freedom of expression.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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