Stéphan Bureau is known for his major interviews on television and radio and enjoys the freedom that the podcast offers Contact gives him and the risks that this project allows him to take.
“I was tempted to have a platform where I didn't have to ask permission before welcoming someone,” explains Stéphan Bureau, who met Le Journal as part of the first anniversary of his podcast “Contact”.
Over the past year, Mr. Bureau interviewed several personalities who represented viewpoints on current issues that are rarely if ever conveyed in the mainstream media. A good example was the Russian-born poet, author and translator André Markowicz, who argued that the West was not radical enough in its efforts to counter the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“It’s the principle [du balado]; “You sometimes expose yourself to different viewpoints and thinkers that are not present in the mainstream media,” says the man, who has more than 40 years of experience in the information sector. “I notice that there are points of view that are less and less heard, in organizations that are increasingly wary of controversy,” he notes, pointing out that it is not at all necessary to agree with his guests.
Mr. Bureau has experienced such controversies. In 2021, he was accused by Radio-Canada Ombudsman Pierre Champoux following an interview with Doctor Didier Raoult, known for his controversial comments on COVID-19 treatments. Following a complaint from a science journalist who listened to the interview, he concluded that the host had violated Radio-Canada's journalistic standards and practices by not adequately advising his guest of the accuracy of his words.
Trust people's judgment
“You do not commit a crime by exposing people to a thought, however provocative it may be,” claims Mr. Bureau, who believes that the media and society in general are afraid of being shaken or disturbed in their established beliefs .
According to him, the world of information should not “pre-sort what can be read or heard” under the pretext that people cannot exercise their judgment.
“To me, thinking means taking the risk of changing your mind and, above all, it means not consoling yourself with what is sweet and pleasant. […] “I don’t want to do my job and constantly be careful not to take any risks,” he says.
Dream interview for 2024
Of all the personalities with ideologies and viewpoints that are off the beaten path, Stéphan Bureau wants to debate in 2024 with the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Pierre Poilievre.
The Contact host remains hopeful, even though Mr. Poilievre declined all of his interview requests last year.
“I would have questions about his personal motivations,” explains Mr. Bureau. “I would be interested to know who he really is, I have the impression that he always defines himself as a caricature […] I would like to confront him about his views and his political program to get to the bottom of his ideas and see what he is up to.”
The Contact podcast, hosted by Stéphan Bureau, is available on YouTube and on the qub radio website.