Domestic
TF1: A Fake Photo That Made Waves
Colonel Randrianirina had admitted a few months ago that the communication services of the Presidency of the Refoundation of the Republic of Madagascar (PRRM) had significant shortcomings. The relevant departments gave him another opportunity to observe this yesterday. Over the weekend, pranksters had begun sharing a photomontage that went viral on Facebook in Madagascar: on a screenshot of a TF1 broadcast, they had inserted a photo of mpiandry chasing demons during last Friday's religious service on the steps of City Hall. They then added the following subtitle: "In Madagascar, the government has chosen to chase demons as a solution." The image spread rapidly, attracting sympathy from those frustrated with the current government and irritated by the mixing of religion in state affairs. However, debunking operations multiplied on Facebook to demonstrate that this montage was merely a hoax. Internet users found the original of the retouched photo dating back to September 2024, while others spotted blurry areas showing the superposition of images with different resolutions. Several Facebook users also scoured TF1's recent archives to verify the existence of such a sequence. Those who made minimal effort to cross-check the information quickly found the answer: a clear fake, but one that appeared credible to those who lacked the time, desire, or capacity to verify. The PRRM's communication services reacted to this bad joke by sharing a press release yesterday around 14:26 titled "TF1 on Madagascar: An Insult to Christianity!". We chose not to comment on this text and asked ChatGPT to act as a journalism teacher to evaluate it. Here is its response: "This article defends a clear position, but it does not meet the standards of a serious newspaper. Its main flaw lies in the confusion between editorial, political indictment, and personal accusation. The text usefully raises a possible factual error by TF1: the service would have been organized by the FFKM, not by the government. This element should have formed the core of a documented demonstration. However, the argument quickly loses credibility through its insulting vocabulary: 'ignorant,' 'stupidly,' 'make him understand.' The claim that certain French journalists are paid by intelligence services is extremely serious and is supported by no evidence. It would expose a newsroom to significant legal risk. The argument that Malagasy people are 'deeply Christian, always have been' is historically excessive and insufficiently nuanced. Finally, the title promises an 'insult to Christianity,' while the content mainly establishes a misinterpretation and misattribution. To be publishable, the article should precisely verify the TF1 sequence, cite sources, distinguish facts from opinions, and remove all personal attacks. Academic grade: 8/20 — relevant subject and identifiable angle, but insufficient methodology, neutrality, argumentation, and ethics." Yet established media outlets rushed to republish this press release before shamefully backtracking. One must ask a question: why do such experienced officials, quick to lecture the press on professionalism and ethics, choose to discredit the Presidency of the Refoundation by issuing a real press release to reply to a fake image? Following their preferred Refoundation formula, the PRRM's Director of Communication should take measures against those who initiated, drafted, and distributed this text. At this rate, it is hardly surprising to see rumors spreading throughout the country if even state services are incapable of basic fact-checking. One hopes this is not the result of those journalist and influencer training programs from the Urals region. Ultimately, the press release about the insult to Christianity was rather an insult to journalism itself. Nowadays, it is so easy for anyone to create photo montages. This is why Victor Hugo warned that one should not believe everything one sees on the Internet.
Source: Madagascar Tribune