Testimonials

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Jean-Marie Leforestier, the probity of facts and the rigor of investigation. It's the title of the portrait drawn up by Camille Micaelli, a student in the Journalism Master's program, as part of the course given by David Courbet, Journalist - AFP Editor at the Marseille office.
Editor-in-chief of Marsactu since 2021, Jean-Marie Leforestier is the discreet face of local investigation in Marseille. Here's a look back at the career of this EJCAM alumnus.
Jean-Marie Leforestier stands quietly in the hallway of the School of Journalisme and of Communication of Aix-Marseille, amidst revision rooms and a temperamental coffee machine. The bearded journalist gives rarely an interview.
Ironically, he's unaware that the window opposite him proudly displays a number of trophies, including one in particular, a symbol of his student days. "Inter-school tournament, 2009". The engraving evokes glory, but not the twists and turns behind such a victory. Smiling, the journalist confides that he founded the school's soccer club the year he arrived, in 2009, and that he suffered a double fracture during the following year's tournament. He keeps that smile throughout an exchange rich in memories, undoubtedly awakened by the walls of a school he has been close to. Graduating in 2011, he has since swapped his student cap for that of a professor who has just finished his day of rigorously teaching the practice of investigation.
It's hard to find a better client to talk to about investigation, the DNA of his journalistic practice. Already experienced at Ouest-France before joining the school, after graduating he began his career at Ravi, a satirical investigative newspaper in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. A year later, in January 2012, he joined Marsactu. This pure player specialising in local investigation has, in the space of a decade, carved out a place for itself in a media space dominated by La Provence. Its investigations into substandard housing prior to the rue d'Aubagne tragedy had subsequently propelled the title to national prominence. In 2015, the editorial team saved the paper from bankruptcy by buying it out. Behind this rescue lies a radical change in business model. At a time when Mediapart was emerging on the national scene, the subscription model was the obvious choice. It enabled the newspaper to free itself from a major lever of pressure, advertising, which had hitherto hindered it. 
Although he is not fond of militant journalism, Jean-Marie Leforestier does not deny his convictions. The strongest of these is that he is not financed by the subjects he covers. Even as a student, he found it hard not to "question the frameworks into which he was asked to fit". It's a mentality that sums up the credo of Marsactu, the "local democratic watchdog" of which he is now, at 36, editor-in-chief. 
On a daily basis, he leads a team of eight permanent journalists, including himself, as well as a number of freelancers. A common spirit runs through the editorial team: a taste for public affairs, which he has personally cultivated for as long as he can remember. "We must always remember that we're here first and foremost to dissect facts rather than relay opinions," he says in a soft voice. But this work, he realises, comes at a price. "It's a fascinating and rewarding life, but extremely time-consuming". As a young father, he realises the difference that sometimes separates him from those around him because of his schedule. It also takes time to investigate, a practice that requires patience, rigor and a substantial personal investment. "It's essential at a time when media space is saturated by the immediacy of 24-hour news channels. 
Marsactu was built on the original color of journalism, which must be "the primacy of facts in the exercise of the profession". The long investigation allows us to pause for a moment, which is beneficial for deciphering the news and for the readers who will benefit from it.
Outside his job, he has no passion for "electric trains", nor any attraction for "weird things". The son of a nurse working with the underprivileged and a computer technician, he remembers that there were hardly any newspapers in his Breton home. Contrary to popular belief, as a child he likes Thierry Roland than Tintin. He sums up his "childhood influences" as his special relationship with television, and sports journalism to be precise. At the age of "four or five", Jean-Marie used to turn his father's screwdriver upside down, like a microphone, to comment soccer matches on television. He has a smile on his face when he recalls this memory. He didn't end up following the career of Didier Roustan, his idol at the time, but admits that sports journalism was his "gateway" to his future profession, without ever having practiced it in this way.

Camille MICAELLI

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Today, we present to you Enzo Léardi, communications officer at the University Institute of Technology of Aix-Marseille, Saint Jérôme site. A graduate of the Aix-Marseille School of Journalism and Communication in 2020, Enzo had previously completed a Master's degree in Data, Information and Digital Communication.
In the following video, he talks about his experiences, particularly at EJCAM.
This video was produced as part of a tutored professional project by BENBRAHIM Sofia, BOURAS Amani, EL GHAIATI Najoua and HANOUCH Amina, students at EJCAM.

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Camille Paix, between cemetery and journalism. This is the title of the portrait produced by Méline Courtecuisse, a student in the Journalism Master's program, as part of the course taught by David Courbet, Journalist - AFP Editor at the Marseille office.

Women, feminism and cemeteries - that's what's behind the mischievous gaze of Camille Paix, a former student at EJCAM. The vivacious 29-year-old has just recovered from several months of promotion for her first book, Mère Lachaise: 100 portraits pour déterrer le matrimoine funéraire, published in April 2022. A book that honors the women who made history and who are buried in the Père-Lachaise cemetery.

Camille Paix discovered the Père-Lachaise cemetery when she moved to Paris in 2016, after completing her master's degree in journalism at EJCAM. An editor at Libération for several years, she has the impression of "being in a vacuum, always with the same people", even though she feels very much at home in a medium she describes as "family-oriented". A stroll through the Père-Lachaise cemetery "made her want to have a project on the side, one that wasn't Libération."
This project began with @merelachaise, her Instagram account, which she launched in 2019 on the advice of a friend, because "I had a crazy list of names, personalities, women and graves that just kept getting bigger". Camille Paix began posting portraits of "badass chicks" in 2200 characters, which was a real challenge for her. For the sake of consistency, the young woman also drew the women's portraits in charcoal style.
While Camille didn't think she'd attract any more attention than her mother, she now has over 15,000 followers who assiduously follow her posts, her cemetery outings and the release of her book Mère Lachaise: 100 portraits pour déterrer le matrimoine funéraire (2022). "I've just finished the second (book), which is really based on the same thing: half of the women buried at Père-Lachaise and half elsewhere in France," she confides, adding that she's "always wanted to write a book".

Camille Paix doesn't do things by halves. Her desire to become a journalist, like her desire to write a book, came to fruition after several years. As a student at a high school in Mayotte, she noted several "revolting" events taking place there, such as the dilapidated state of the buildings, which cannot withstand earthquakes, and the lack of protection for pupils in such cases. "I said to myself that I really had to become a journalist, so that I could tell people about these things."
Camille Paix obtained a degree in information and communication "while waiting for the moment when [she] could go to journalism school". She passed the EJCAM entrance exam in 2014 and joined the Marseille-based school. "What the Marseille school has in particular, compared to those in other cities, is a very fertile ground. It's a city where people talk to us a lot. Where people like to tell stories", but it's also a city with real problems and fascinating subjects. Camille insists on her "feeling that journalism is really important in this city" during a class intervention for Press Week in Marseille's northern neighborhoods.

During her time at EJCAM, she remembers some very good years, which enabled her to meet the people who are still her best friends 8 years later. She met her boyfriend... at EJCAM, in the year above her own.
Even if she regrets a lack of follow-up at times, this autonomy has enabled them to blossom and carry out projects. "We launched a magazine at the time, several of us took over the BDE and I was the president, but it was mainly to make the magazine through that [...] we got a prize for our magazine."

On graduating from EJCAM, Camille Paix did an internship as an editorial secretary at La Croix in Paris. This was followed by a six-month period of fixed-term contracts in the publishing industry, before she joined Libération on the advice of Stéphanie Harounyan, a teacher she had fallen in love with and whom she describes as a fascinating person, very present and reassuring to her students.

Publishing was not at all part of her career plan, but at EJCAM she had the opportunity to do it often, and finally found that "doing something from A to Z, making a newspaper, is pretty cool". "Doing publishing helped me understand how to write, [...] how a text works. I've realized that I've learned a lot more about how to write in a way that I like, and how to develop reflexes by writing less". This is a view widely shared at Libération, where many journalists have worked in publishing.

In parallel with her position as publishing manager, Camille continues to write, and her desire to write, in particular the famous Libération portraits, has grown stronger.

With the release of her second book in a few months' time, still about funerary heritage but extended to other French cemeteries, she is preparing to relive the moments of book signings and cemetery strolls that she enjoys so much.

Camille Paix has also been teaching at EJCAM for the past three years.

Photo credit: Jean-Baptiste Chabran

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Hugo Thiphaine is a graduate of EJCAM and holder of a Master degree second year "Data, Information, Communication and Digital content". Prior to this diploma, he completed a Bachlor degree in Information-Communication, followed by a Master degree first year in "Communication and digital content".
Hugo Thiphaine is a creator of SEO/SXO-optimised WordPress websites, and over the years has developed multiple skills in digital strategies: web design, creation and management of e-commerce sites. A WordPress and SEO trainer for several agencies, Hugo Thiphaine also teaches at EJCAM.
 

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Azzeddine Ahmed-Chaouch: a desire for change

Portrait by Héloïse Drouet, a student in the Journalism Master's program, as part of the course taught by David Courbet (journalist-editor at AFP's Marseille office).

Azzeddine Ahmed Chaouch, head of EJCAM's television specialisation and an EJCAM alumnus, is in the midst of a professional transition and aspires to greater freedom.
At the other end of the line, the hubbub and muffled voice of Azzeddine Ahmed-Chaouch. He was working in a café in the capital. The journalist is in the midst of a professional transition. After graduating from EJCAM in 2006, he has been doing "hard news" for 17 years. His thoughts on his career have already matured. At 41, he is driven by a desire to do other things, and this is the first subject he tackles: "I want to do things that are more in-depth, more advanced, to put myself in danger too, to learn something else, to tell stories in a different way, to explore new narratives [...]. Concerning video-documentary: the long format allows me to work on subjects for several months, so I can dig deeper and tell stories differently from the daily news. I have more freedom to do things I like. In a nutshell? It's impossible to sum up his job. He searches and searches again, several times, to find the right one. "Words are important," he says, casually, a little later in the discussion. "Yes, you can say that: under contract with several media. He's no longer bound by exclusive contracts, he has regained his freedom. 
He quickly mentions the project he's been working on for over a year: L'arabe dans le poste, a 1.5-hour documentary that traces "the history of North African immigration through TV, images and representation". The journalist was interested in the subject, as it had been little explored. "It seemed essential to me at this point in my life, in my career, to make a good film," he laughs. He laughs, "Well, I think it's beautiful. He laughs often, joking to discreetly suggest that he doesn't take himself too seriously, while retaining his seriousness. But the documentary is also about Azzeddine Ahmed-Chaouch. [I'm always reminded that I'm of Algerian origin", and have been for a long time. His parents were born in Tébessa, Algeria, and came to France in the late 1970s. In kindergarten, he had bad handwriting, and the teacher summoned his mother, thinking he was writing in Arabic. His desire to speak out and give his voice to those concerned was not always his driving force. At first, he kept quiet so that his legitimacy was not born of victimisation. But today, he is confident of his strength and the recognition of his work. 
Azzeddine Ahmed-Chaouch grew up in the Paris suburbs. He watched the newspaper with his father, Tintin, police investigation serials, and dreamed of being a journalist. His parents would have preferred him to be a doctor. Today, they're happy and hold no grudges. Very close to them, he sees them regularly. Affection rings out in his voice when he talks about them, joking with tenderness, teasing. At university, he took a DEUG in law, then a degree in political science, before moving to the city of Marseille. A love affair that continues to this day. He absolutely loves the city: "the sea, the living environment, the sun. People [in Marseille] know how to live better. Quicker to identify himself with the city's sporting rather than political life, he is quick to point out: "I'm not originally from Marseille, but I'm an OM supporter all the same". Perhaps one day he'll be able to move back in.
After graduating in 2006, the young student won a summer fixed-term contract at the France 2 office. He was then hired by Le Parisien, where he stayed for 3 years. He covered the news, then took charge of the web video service, and finally the political service, where he covered the far right and Jean-Marie Le Pen. Although he defines himself as having humanist affinities, he feels that the job has made him cynical about politics. In 2009, he helped create M6's 19h45 before moving to Canal+. He arrived at Quotidien in 2016. The journalist is grateful to EJCAM and recalls that the atmosphere within his promotion was tinged with discontent: "It's really a common thing we all had to think that the grass is greener elsewhere. In fact, there's everything you need to succeed at school." For him, the school system is beneficial because it is more egalitarian, once the school is integrated. He sums it up soberly: "if you work well, manage to land internships or fixed-term contracts, your career is launched." In 2023, he made his first appearance at EJCAM as head of the television specialisation. To young journalists: be obsessed with factual accuracy; never give up; and, of course, love people. He likes to poke fun at his poncifics, but in reality he's quite serious: "You have to like human contact of any kind, whether it's in a minister's office or in a bistro with the boss". That's what will make the difference.

Timeline:
1982: born in Thiais, Val-de-Marne
2004-2006: studies at EJCAM
2016: joins Quotidien
November 14, 2023: release of the documentary L'arabe dans le poste
 

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"In 2014, I joined EJCAM in Master 1 CCN-G to complete my academic career, which had mainly focused on digital communication until then.

This training enabled me to consolidate my knowledge in digital, exploring various fields related to communication such as benchmarking, brand positioning and usage foresight...I also had the opportunity to go on an academic exchange to Montreal for 5 months, where I obtained a Master's degree in Science, Technology and Society. This experience was invaluable, as it enabled me to broaden my horizons and acquire complementary skills that are now essential in my current professional field, human resources.

In short, the CCN-G Master's program enabled me to develop interpersonal communication, project management and problem-solving skills, all of which are essential in my current role as an HR transformation consultant.

If you're looking for a training program that combines a solid foundation in digital communication with opportunities to explore and develop complementary skills, I highly recommend you consider EJCAM!"

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Former student of our school (MA Journalism), he is currently working as Editor-in-Chief of "magazines" at TF1. He is in charge of the "Grands Reportages" program. Previously, he worked successively for Canal +, itélé (Grand reporter), BBC and TF1 (Deputy Editor-in-Chief). Olivier Escriva also teaches at EJCAM.

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I joined EJCAM in 2013, after a background in journalism acquired previously, to complete my curriculum in view of an inevitable press crisis.
The school allowed me to develop knowledge and skills concerning the digitalization of uses, good practices in terms of web marketing and digital communication.
This panel of skills remains a real asset that allowed me to easily insert myself in the job market by multiplying experiences within various structures.
I currently hold the position of Marketing Project Manager at the newspaper La Provence. I have been contributing for several years to the management of various projects aimed at allowing the first media of the Southern Region to continue to develop and shine.

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Holder of a Master 2, in CCN-J (Communication, Digital Content, Journalism), obtained at EJCAM, he currently holds the position of Social Media Manager at the Régie des Transports Métropolitain in Marseille. Throughout his university studies and his professional experiences, Charles-Henri Roux has developed several skills necessary to optimize his company's communication: community management, web design, photography, video editing, graphic design.

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After graduating from EJCAM in 2000 with a Master's degree in Journalism, she started working as a journalist and correspondent for La Chaine Info (LCI) in Nice. She was then appointed bureau chief for TF1 in Marseille. Linda Huré is a magazine producer for the TV program Reportages et Grands Reportages (26' / 60) and also teaches at EJCAM.