France

One fired, one suspended over leaked email on internet piracy law

Article published on the 2009-05-11 Latest update 2009-05-11 14:25 TU

Christine Albanel
(Photo : AFP)

The affair began when Jérôme Bourreau-Guggenheim, a manager at France's leading private TV channel, TF1 sent a personal email to an MP from President Sarkozy's UMP party. In his email he explained that he was opposed to a proposed bill that aims to punish illegal downloading in France.

The email, having made its way to France's Ministry of Culture, was then sent back to the the manager's employer, TF1, by an employee at the Ministry. Over at TF1 Bourreau-Guggenheim was then brought in, had his email read to him, and was fired.

The television channel has defended the firing of Bourreau-Guggenheim by saying that his opposition to the anti-piracy bill contradicted the official position of TF1.

The owner of the channel, Martin Bouygues, is a close friend of President Sarkozy and the friendship has often been cited as an example of close ties between France's executive and the country's media.

Bourreau-Guggenheim is beginning legal proceedings for unfair dismissal.

More disciplinary action followed over at the Ministry of Culture when the person responsible for sending the email back to TF1 was suspended for one month. The identity of this person has not been made public.

Initial reports, in French daily paper Libération, that the Ministry for Culture was involved, were rejected by the Minister for Culture, Christine Albanel. She later responded to opposition questions in parliament by saying that, as far as she knew, "nothing had been transferred [to TF1 from the Ministry]".

On Sunday night however the Ministry confirmed that one of its employees had, indeed, forwarded the email. The Minister described the affair as "regrettable".