Les correspondants de presse étrangère en France. Des modèles et des missions entre routines, bouleversements et paradoxes.

Cette contribution s’interesse aux correspondants etrangers exercant en France, assez peu etudies. La reflexion proposee repose en grande partie sur une vingtaine d’entretiens avec les journalistes eux‑memes, travaillant a Paris pour differents pays et supports, et qu’ils soient sous contrat permanent ou a la pige (echantillon constitue en proportion de donnees officielles habituellement pas ou peu communiquees). Les transformations a l’oeuvre sont analysees sous le prisme de leurs profils divers et de leurs productions : les aspects scrutes vont de la selection de l’information a la couverture de l’actualite de la France qu’ils donnent a voir a leurs concitoyens d’origine. Les correspondants de presse etrangere sont soumis comme la plupart des journalistes a de fortes pressions (economiques, temporelles, organisationnelles, etc.) liees a l’emergence non seulement des outils numeriques mais aussi de nouveaux types de concurrents (y compris non professionnels). Ils revelent d’une part de profondes disparites dans leurs conditions de travail, marquees en premier lieu par la fermeture de nombreux bureaux a proprement parler, d’autre part un accroissement et un elargissement des tâches qui leur sont demandees, notamment par leurs superieurs au siege. Cela genere, pour eux comme pour le chercheur, plusieurs interrogations sur leurs pratiques et sur leur identite. Va-t-on vers une disparition de la profession meme de correspondant de presse etrangere, ou s’agit-il d’un changement de modele, supposant pour les correspondants des missions redefinies ? Et ces derniers doivent-ils l’apprecier comme une opportunite ou comme une menace ? Cet submission se propose d’analyser, y compris a la lumiere de principes historiques lies a la correspondance de presse, les evolutions recentes et les perspectives de la production d’information sur et depuis la France. Il examine les routines, bouleversements et paradoxes de ce metier specifique, et in fine l’interet de ces questions pour les publics. Esta proposta examina um tema raramente abordado: o dos correspondentes estrangeiros que trabalham na Franca. A analise e baseada em 20 entrevistas em profundidade com jornalistas que trabalham em Paris para varios paises e meios de comunicacao, com contratos permanentes e como freelancers (a amostra foi estabelecida em proporcao aos dados oficiais que raramente sao compartilhados). A evolucao da profissao e analisada tendo em conta os diversos perfis dos correspondentes e metodos de producao utilizadas, o processo de selecao da informacao e a cobertura de noticias francesas que serao destinadas ao publico nos paises de origem. Como a maioria dos jornalistas, os correspondentes estrangeiros estao sob pressoes economicas, organizacionais e do tempo criadas pela emergencia de ferramentas digitais e uma nova marca da concorrencia (incluindo os nao-profissionais). Existem tambem profundas disparidades em suas condicoes de trabalho – algumas marcadas pelo fechamento dos chamados “escritorios”, bem como um aumento e ampliacao das suas funcoes. Para eles (e para os pesquisadores), isso gera questionamentos sobre suas praticas e identidade. Estamos caminhando para a extincao da profissao de correspondente estrangeiro ou e uma mudanca de paradigma que necessita de uma redefinicao de sua missao? E uma oportunidade ou uma ameaca? Este estudo parte de uma perspectiva historica da pratica do jornalismo de correspondencia para analisar a evolucao recente e as perspectivas da producao midiatica na e da Franca, examinando as rotinas, convulsoes e paradoxos da posicao de correspondente estrangeiro e como isso afeta o publico. This paper examines the rarely addressed topic of foreign correspondents working in France. The analysis is largely based on about twenty in-depth interviews with journalists working in Paris for various countries and media outlets, both permanent and freelance (the sample was established in proportion to official data that is seldom shared). The evolvement of their profession is studied taking into account their diverse profiles and production methods, their information selection and the coverage of French news they offer their consumers at home. Like the majority of journalists, foreign correspondents are under the economic, organizational and time pressures created by the emergence of digital tools and a new brand of competition (including non-professionals). There are also profound disparities in their working conditions—some facing closure of so-called “bureaus,” as well as an increase and expansion of their tasks. For them (and for the researchers), this generates questions about their practices and identity. Are we headed towards the extinction of the profession of foreign correspondent, or is it a paradigm shift necessitating a redefinition of their mission? Is it an opportunity or a threat? This study, from a historical perspective of the occupation of press correspondent, proposes to analyze the recent evolution and perspectives of media production on and from France by examining the routines, upheavals and paradoxes of the position of foreign correspondent and how they affect the public.