History of French journalism facts for kids
Newspapers have been very important in shaping French politics, economy, and society since the 1600s. They helped people share ideas and learn about what was happening.
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Newspapers and the French Revolution (1789–1815)
Before the French Revolution, the government controlled newspapers very strictly. You needed a special royal license to print a newspaper, and everything was heavily censored. This meant the king and government decided what people could read. Writers were even hired to create propaganda, which is information designed to influence public opinion.
When the French Revolution began in 1789, things changed a lot. Many new newspapers and pamphlets appeared. In just one month, over 100 new pamphlets were published! Between 1789 and 1799, more than 1,300 new newspapers started. Even though the government tried to stop them, some smaller papers shared more radical ideas.
People became much more interested in politics, especially in Paris. Citizens would go to coffeehouses to read newspapers and listen to speakers. Two very important newspapers were Friend of the People, run by Jean-Paul Marat, and The Defender of the Constitution, run by Maximilien de Robespierre. Both supported republican ideas and were against the old system.
There were also newspapers that supported the king, like Ami du Roi. This paper was very popular with those who wanted the monarchy to stay. However, it was eventually shut down by the new government because it criticized their decisions. Newspapers became the main way for people to get information. They were read aloud in public places and passed around among friends.
Strict Rules During the Reign of Terror
During a period called the Reign of Terror (1794–1799), newspapers became much less important. Even though the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen said people had freedom of the press, the government could still stop "abuses" of this freedom. This meant they could censor or ban any newspaper they didn't like.
Censorship during the Reign of Terror was even stricter than under the old kings. Hundreds of papers were censored or banned if they didn't agree with the government. Newspapers often changed their names to avoid being caught. Sadly, many journalists were even executed during this time.
Napoleon's Control Over the Press
When Napoleon took power in 1799, he also controlled the newspapers very tightly. Out of 72 papers in Paris, he quickly closed all but 13. By 1811, he allowed only four papers in Paris and one in each other region, and all of them were closely watched.
Napoleon was very good at using propaganda. He used newspapers, art, and even special announcements to spread his messages. He owned two military newspapers, the Courrier de l’Armée d’Italie and La France vue de l’Armée d’Italie. These papers helped him share news of his military victories, which made the public support him. The Moniteur Universel became the official newspaper for government information.
Newspapers in the 1800s (1815–1871)
After Napoleon, when kings returned to power in 1815, there was more freedom for newspapers. New laws in 1819 made censorship lighter, but newspapers still had to pay a large deposit to the government and a tax on each copy. Only a few newspapers were published, and they were usually connected to political groups. They were expensive and only sold by subscription, mostly to a small group of wealthy people.
In the mid-1800s, new inventions changed the newspaper world. The telegraph arrived in 1845, allowing news to travel much faster. Around 1870, the rotary press was invented, which could print many copies very quickly. Before this, newspapers used expensive paper and slow hand-operated machines. Now, they used cheaper wood pulp paper and fast presses, making newspapers much cheaper to produce.
The railway system also grew in the 1860s, making it possible to send newspapers quickly from Paris to all parts of France. This meant more news could be shared faster and cheaper. In 1836, La Presse became the first French newspaper to include paid advertisements. This allowed them to lower their price, reach more readers, and make more money. Other newspapers soon copied this idea.
The revolution of 1848 led to many new, but short-lived, newspapers. However, press freedom disappeared again in 1851 under Napoleon III. Most newspapers were shut down, and each political group was only allowed one paper. Censorship became less strict in the 1860s but didn't fully end until the French Third Republic began in 1871.
Le Correspondent, started in 1843, was a newspaper that shared liberal Catholic views. It wanted more freedom in France and disagreed with growing anti-religious feelings. It often had problems with government censors.
Émile de Girardin was a very successful journalist of this time. He believed in educating many people through newspapers. His magazines had over 100,000 subscribers, and his daily newspaper La Presse was much cheaper than others because of its low production costs and many advertisements.
The Golden Age of French Journalism (1871–1918)
The new Third Republic (1871–1914) was a great time for French newspapers. They were cheap, full of energy, uncensored, and everywhere. They showed all sides of political life. The total number of daily newspapers sold in France grew from 150,000 in 1860 to 1 million in 1870, and then to 5 million in 1910! By 1914, Paris alone had 80 daily newspapers.
Some serious newspapers included Le Temps and Le Figaro. Catholics read La Croix, and Socialists read L'Humanité. But much more popular were papers like Le Petit Journal, Le Matin, and Le Petit Parisien, which focused less on politics and more on entertainment.
Advertising grew quickly, giving newspapers a strong financial base. A new law in 1881 removed many old restrictions. New popular newspapers, especially Le Petit Journal, focused on entertainment and gossip rather than just serious news. This paper became incredibly popular, selling 950,000 copies a day by 1887, making it the highest-selling newspaper in the world at the time. By 1914, it sold 1.5 million copies daily across France. This helped bring news and entertainment to people in rural areas and helped modernize them.
Most major newspapers had their own journalists who competed to get the latest news. They also relied on the Agence Havas (now Agence France-Presse), a news service that sent news by telegraph.
The Roman Catholic Assumptionists started their own national newspaper, La Croix. It strongly supported traditional Catholicism and used modern technology to print regional editions. This newspaper became a big opponent for secular and republican groups, especially when it attacked Alfred Dreyfus during the Dreyfus affair, stirring up anti-Semitism.
Problems with Corruption
During this time, there were also problems with corruption. Businesses and banks secretly paid some newspapers to promote their interests or hide bad behavior. Publishers sometimes took money to write good reviews of products. Some newspapers even blackmailed businesses, threatening to publish bad information unless the business advertised with them.
Foreign governments, like Russia and Turkey, secretly paid French newspapers large sums of money to get good coverage of the bonds they were selling in Paris. When news about Russia was bad, like during its 1905 Revolution, they paid even more bribes. Each government department in Paris also secretly paid journalists to write stories that supported their views.
During World War I, newspapers became more like propaganda tools for the war effort. There was little critical reporting. Newspapers rarely reported on the achievements of France's allies; instead, they gave all credit to the French army. This meant newspapers were not always independent sources of truth but were often secretly paid to promote special interests.
Newspapers After 1914
After World War I, regional newspapers continued to do well. However, Parisian newspapers didn't grow much. The biggest success story after the war was Paris Soir. This paper didn't have a political agenda. It focused on exciting stories to attract readers and serious articles to gain respect. By 1939, it sold over 1.7 million copies, more than double its closest rival. Paris Soir also started a successful women's magazine, Marie-Claire, and a photojournalism magazine called Match.
In the 1930s, many French newspapers were not truly independent. Some were secretly paid by different governments or special interest groups. This meant that the public often didn't get accurate information about important issues, especially foreign policy. The French government also controlled radio and newsreels very tightly, making sure they only showed non-controversial or glamorous topics. This was done to keep public opinion calm and not interfere with government policies. When big crises happened, like the Munich crisis in 1938, people were confused because they didn't have enough correct information.
Newspapers Since 1940
During World War II, newspapers were heavily censored. Paris newspapers were controlled by the Germans and their supporters, while others were shut down. In 1944, when Paris was freed, the new French government took control of the newspapers that had worked with the Germans. They gave the presses to new editors and publishers. This is how the important newspaper Le Temps was replaced by the new daily Le Monde.
After the war, from 1944 to 1958, Le Figaro was almost the official newspaper for the foreign ministry. French radio and television were owned and strictly controlled by the government. Even later, under the Fifth Republic, radio and television remained under government control. Newspapers provided limited international news and didn't have much influence on government decisions.
In the early 2000s, the best-selling daily newspaper was the regional Ouest-France, which had 47 local editions. Other popular regional papers included Le Progres from Lyon and La Voix du Nord from Lille. In Paris, some well-known newspapers were l'Humanité, Le Monde, Le Figaro, Le Parisien, and the leftist Libération.
Images for kids
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A copy of L’Ami du peuple stained with the blood of Marat
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See also
- History of journalism § France
- List of newspapers in France
- Magazine § France
- Media of France
- Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française, radio and TV
