Editor's comment: Je Suis Charlie
On 7 January terrorists attacked free speech by shooting dead 12 innocent journalists and police at the offices of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
The magazine is famous for its irreverent and non-conformist tone and describes itself as strongly anti-racist and left wing, publishing articles and cartoons on the extreme right, all religions and politics.
The terrorists are believed to have been offended by the portrayal of their prophet Mohammed in cartoons and murdered editor Stéphane Charbonnier, who had previously received death threats and been under police protection.
The world has rightly responded with outrage and mass public displays of unity and solidarity with millions of people joining in marches this weekend.
While Post obviously covers quite a different topic and has a very different readership, this got me to thinking about myself, and our team of journalists, and the relationship with our audience.
It’s fair to say that, as my predecessors have done since 1840, each week I mock sectors, trends, decisions, companies – and their leaders – with my cartoon, ably produced by our talented cartoonist Cluff. I’ve even included the occasional religious reference such as a parting of the seas to refer to flood water and the Ten Commandments for new regulations.
My team of journalists hounds you, questions you – sometimes refusing to take no for an answer – questions you again and then judges you. We criticise, we encourage people to call you to action and hold up a mirror to show you how you look to the outside world. And we do this day in and day out.
Having said that we also respect you and defend you to other sectors. Like parents, we’d secretly like you to do well and are disappointed when you fail, and – above all – we do our very best to be fair.
In my 10 years on the brand and two years in the editor’s chair I’ve seen a few complaints – some stronger than others – from the market and I’m sure that there are many occasions when you disagree with our stance, our tone and the people whose opinions we publish.
Yet the insurance market continues to support many insurance publications looking at different sectors and facets and allows us our freedom of speech. Honestly, I don’t think you would have us any other way.
Je Suis Charlie.
Stephanie Denton, editor
This article was published in the 15 January edition of Post magazine.
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