Press Coverage of Yellow Vest Protests in France: A Critical Approach

This book chapter contributes to the debates on issues and approaches that help understand the nature and characteristics of the press coverage of “Les Gilets Jaunes” Yellow Vest Movement (YVM). In addition, the chapter seeks to fathom the extent of the commitment of the French press to cover this social movement from the professional and deontological ethics of the press perspective, especially since journalists may be exposed to some pressure from various parties involved in this social movement. I argue that the press coverage of the YVM constituted a fundamental turning point in the history of the press and the social movement in France, due to the presence of parallel, direct, and extensive digital coverage on social media, especially on Facebook and Twitter, which put pressure on the traditional French press. This press coverage was criticized for focusing on violence between activists and the police while not considering their demands regarding social justice and the high cost of living.