As a result of the digital revolution, print versions of France's national daily newspapers sell barely more than 150,000 copies a day at kiosks and other outlets. This contrasts with a figure of 1.3 million daily copies back in 1990. Yet the French state always seems ready to come to the aid of the various billionaires who own France's national titles. Just a few weeks ago the government set aside 30 million euros in extra help for the printed press. It is an approach which is both unjust and incoherent, argues Mediapart co-founder Laurent Mauduit in this op-ed article.
Some French broadcasters and newspapers announce they will refrain from naming, or publishing photos of, terrorists so as not to contribute to their 'glorification'.
Marine Le Pen claims she is trying to make the far-right Front National more 'normal', a strategy that has perhaps contributed to her party surging ahead in opinion polls. One survey suggests that Le Pen would come top if the first round of voting in a presidential election were held today, whoever her main opponent. But behind the attempts to 'de-demonize' the FN lurks another reality – that of a party that still refuses to abide by democratic rules. Last weekend Mediapart's reporter was ejected from the party's youth conference, and this was not the first time this has occurred. Nor is it just Mediapart which is targeted – other media outlets and also academics have found themselves ostracised by a party which seems to fear the freedom of the press.
A collective of French female journalists have launched a campaign against what they call the “invisibility” of women in the media and the often sexist stereotypes of women presented by the media. Their manifesto, published earlier this week with signatures of support from more than 400 media professionals, calls for tough new measures to guarantee gender parity in the journalistic profession and among pundits invited by the media, as already required by law. Here, Mediapart political correspondent Lénaïg Bredoux, a member of the newly-formed collective, explains why she and her colleagues have had enough of the macho media.
Launched less than four years ago, Mediapart is unique among the media, with no equivalent in terms of either its editorial identity or its business model. This December marked the first year in which it has crossed into profit, with more than 56,000 subscribers. Here, Mediapart co-founder and Editor-in-Chief Edwy Plenel sets out why, more than ever, this fully-independent, ad-free online journal needs the support and loyalty of its subscribers to reach an enduring, solid base.
The French press industry receives a staggering one billion euros annually in State aid, amounting to a "fiasco" and a "scandal" according to a government-commissioned study. Now newspaper publishers are under pressure to restructure or die before the tap runs dry. But, as David Medioni and Vincent Truffy report here, time is fast running out on a business still unable to define its future.
