Hate speech at the heart of public debate

How do mainstream media contribute to the circulation of controversies initiated by a far-right media outlet such as Valeurs actuelles? This article analyses the involvement of the national daily press, radio, television and Twitter accounts in the media coverage of a fictional story about MP Danièle Obono (LFI) and opinion stands by members of the military. Unravelling the threads of the propagation of these controversies makes it possible to identify how a conservative protest spreads and plays out in the media and the political sphere. In a particular configuration of the media and political game, the article establishes that hate speeches can be at the heart of public debate when they are relayed by mainstream media.