What’s better than information « exclusive » to launch a media that wants to be investigative? “Factual exclusion: Pascal Praud joins Europe 1”, trumpeted a press release Wednesday, April 12, calling for clicks on the beta website, pending its official launch on May 10. Announced on social networks on April 5 by its godmother, Christine Kelly, neighbor on CNews of Mr. Praud, this new media presents itself as “100% original and 100% independent”. With analytical articles and surveys on societal, economic, international or even cultural subjects, the media hopes to build a bond of trust with its future readers by publishing five to ten scoops daily.
“RAS, nothing is done yet”, however denied during the day Mr. Praud, contacted by The world. More “if the info is good, then it’s the only justice of the peace”defends Stéphane Simon, majority co-financier of Factual with investment banker Sami Biasoni. The two are already co-founders of the online media 100% Neo videos, founded in 2020 with M6 presenter Bernard de La Villardière (he has since sold his stake). Also in 2020, Mr. Simon founded the sovereignist review Popular Front with the philosopher Michel Onfray.
As for the essayist and doctor of philosophy M. Biasoni, he regularly attacks inclusive writing and the « wokisme » in the columns of Popular Front or Figaro. Other investors today prefer to remain discreet, “but they are neither groups, nor big industries, nor public funds, nor state powers”specifies Stéphane Simon, long-time producer of Thierry Ardisson.
Factual aims for financial balance by April 2025, following two years of existence, hoping to be joined by 25,000 subscribers. “Today, the survey market is somewhat monopolized by Mediapart et The chained Duck. We believe that everyone can find their place for unpublished information »adds the one who has also just published a book with Plon investigating the assassination of Samuel Paty.
A very committed godfather and godmother
“We will not depend on political and financial influences”, also provides in a promotional video Christine Kelly, the flagship journalist of CNews and former member of the Superior Council of Audiovisual from 2009 to 2015, godmother of the young media. The journalist, who since 2019 has hosted a daily program on the Bolloré group’s news channel, “Face à l’info”, has been criticized more than once for her complacency towards the far-right polemicist Eric Zemmour. On his tray, Mme Kelly is today surrounded of several darlings of the hard right, in particular the Quebec conservative journalist Mathieu Bock-Côté, the journalist of the weekly Current values Charlotte d’Ornellas, and the host of the morning of Europe 1, Dimitri Pavlenko.
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