Scholar critiques Charlie Hebdos Angels and Demons
Mr Eric Sautede, a Macau-based political commentator from France, was invited to UIC on 29 April with the International Journalism Programme to illustrate the socio-political context of satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Charlie Hebdo
Throughout his lecture, Charlie Hebdo: Angels and/or Demons, Mr Sautede recalled the terrorist attack from the magazines Paris headquarters in January 2015. He also spoke from the hashtag slogan #jesuischarlie (French for "I am Charlie") which was adopted by Twitter followers. Supporters, especially journalists, turned the expression being a rally cry for freedom of self-expression and freedom with the press. This forum has been used to breed cartoons and images regarding the satire. Consequently, the slogan generated 6,500 tweets a moment at its height, so that it is one of the most popular news-related hashtags in Twitter history. Only inside the social media age can we get access to immediate coverage across the globe, he added.
However, controversies were raised by the public. Would it have received the identical worldwide coverage if the shooting hadnt happened in the Western democratic country? What if it had happened in the Middle East? He questioned. Mr Sautede told the audience that there's a double standard in reporting terrorism because attention of Charlie Hebdo overshadowed the bloodbath in Nigeria which occurred simultaneously.
As being a Frenchman himself, Mr Sautede understood the bitter humour from the magazine because its part of the tradition to be satirical. Nevertheless he stated twisted religious values are becoming a threat in todays world, bringing a wide wave of questions about Frances republican values.
He showed the target audience a reproduction of Charlie Hebdos 14 January issue which was published after the massacre. The leading cover design featured a caricature with the Prophet holding indicative saying "Tout est pardonne" (French for "All is forgiven"). Rather than the usual 40,000 copies, this survival edition sold 7.95 million copies, learning to be a record for that French press.
Moreover, Mr Sautede explained the magazines raison d'etre and it is evolution in the monthly magazine Hara-Kiri launched in 1960 for the present-day Charlie Hebdo.