Demonstrations give the Angers medias an opportunity to "communicate"

The difference between "information" and "communication" is sometimes not difficult to spot. The way the Angers newspapers deal with the issue of the french state plan of raising the retirement age is an example of the mix of these two styles which may induce the opinion of the public.

Most of the present reports about the demonstrations give the floor to local opponents to the reform, scarcely to the opponents to the demonstrations. But the Angers editors seem often themselves fierce opponents to the reform and, more or less consciously, attempt to criticize the project (The treatment of information, in France, regularly, mix the facts and the analysis of these facts by the editors what constitutes a difference with England or US edition). In the past, their professionnal trade-union was already in favor of the reduction of work time from 39 to 35 hours per week.

But for the french press, whose economic health is not brilliant nowadays, the public demonstrations are a way to increase the sales. An example of the common interest trade-unions and newspapers share was given last weekend in the columns of one of them which pictured in its issue of october 17th the Angers demonstrators behind a ad-panel of its attractive title about the theme. Information and communication are interlinked and may sometimes distort the opinion.