Writers and editors resign after sale, saying new owners have conflict of interest

This article is more than 6 months old

This article is more than 6 months old

The entire journalistic staff of the Cahiers du Cinéma, the magazine that launched the French New Wave, have resigned after its sale.

The monthly, which once employed the likes of Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut, was sold this month to a group of film producers and tech tycoons.

Its 15 staff writers and editors said the new owners posed a danger to the magazine’s cherished independence.

“The new shareholders include eight producers who create a conflict of interest for a critical publication,” the journalists said in a statement. “Whatever articles are published, there would be a suspicion of interference.”

They are also unhappy that the new owners want to turn the often earnest review into a more relaxed and “fashionable” read. “Les Cahiers has always been engaged, taking clear positions,” the statement said.

The magazine’s new management has yet to respond to the mass resignation.