French Web-based news site Mediapart announced Thursday that it will no longer participate in the federal press assembly, charging the association with making a fool of the industry and a threat to the entire field, AFP reported.

Mediapart, owned by political journalist Edwy Plenel, attended an assembly meeting early this month. The online outlet said not even the smallest conditions for having such a meeting were fulfilled.

According to Mediapart, the debates weren't adequately marketed, the journalists were under-represented and no readers or bloggers were present, AFP reported.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy recently assigned the task of analysing the future of the press to groups divided into editors, reporters, industry experts and political figures. By the end of the year, each group must present five or six recommendations, according to AFP.