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Viewing cable 06PARIS7635, WEEKLY MAGAZINES: SECOND IN A SERIES ON FRENCH MEDIA

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06PARIS7635 2006-12-01 14:40 2011-08-24 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Paris
VZCZCXRO4086
RR RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHFR #7635/01 3351440
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011440Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3512
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHMRE/AMCONSUL MARSEILLE 1458
RUEHSR/AMCONSUL STRASBOURG 0262
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 007635 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/PPD, EUR/WE, INR, R 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC PREL KPAO FR
SUBJECT: WEEKLY MAGAZINES: SECOND IN A SERIES ON FRENCH MEDIA 
 
PARIS 00007635  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. (SBU) Embassy Paris has been reviewing and recalibrating its 
media strategy for 2006-2007, in order to maintain the appropriate 
level of focus of print media while building on our contacts with 
radio and TV media.  This analysis of French weekly magazines is the 
second in a series of cables analyzing the media environment.  End 
Summary. 
 
------------------------------ 
NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWS MAGAZINES 
------------------------------ 
 
2. (U) The national weeklies were initially aimed at the elites, but 
today they work to capture a larger audience's interest with 
politics and current affairs.  L'Express (circulation 544,575), Le 
Point (circulation 391,189), and left-of-center Le Nouvel 
Observateur (circulation 542,898), all belong in this category. 
Other weeklies include Paris-Match (circulation 728,671), La Vie 
(circulation 175,198), and Marianne (circulation 320,000). 
 
------------------------------ 
L'EXPRESS, CIRCULATION 544,575 
------------------------------ 
 
3. (U) Modeled on the formats of Time and Der Spiegel (German), 
L'Express was founded in 1953.  While in the mid-50s L'Express 
reflected the views of Pierre Mendes-France and his opposition to 
Charles de Gaulle, today L'Express is a general-interest magazine 
with no political party affiliation.  Until September 2002, it was 
run by the Express-Expansion Group, Inc., a holding company of 
Vivendi Universal.  In November 2005, Socpresse S.A. sold 35 percent 
of its shares in L'Express to Roularta Media France group.  In 2006, 
Roularta took full possession of L'Express and L'Expansion. 
 
4. (SBU) Key journalists include news director Christophe Barbier, 
senior foreign editor Christian Makarian, foreign reporters 
Dominique Lagarde and Vincent Hugeux, as well as commentator and 
international affairs correspondent Bernard Guetta.  The New York 
correspondent is Philippe Coste. 
 
----------------------------- 
LE POINT, CIRCULATION 391,189 
----------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Claude Imbert founded Le Point in 1972 with a group of 
journalists who had left L'Express.  Le Point is now in the hands of 
the Pinault family, who also own "Artemis" (Printemps Redoute, FNAC, 
Gucci, Yves Saint-Laurent, Christie's, etc.).  Francois Pinault is 
CEO of the group as well as a major art collector in France.  In 
2000, Franz-Olivier Giesbert replaced Claude Imbert as CEO, but 
Imbert remained on board as an editorialist and honorary president. 
Other key journalists include news director Michel Colomes, senior 
foreign editor Pierre Beylau, senior political editor Catherine 
Pegard, and economic and science correspondent Patrick Bonazza.  The 
New York correspondent is Philippe Antoine (also correspondent for 
RTL radio). 
 
------------------------------------------ 
LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR, CIRCULATION 542,898 
------------------------------------------ 
 
6. (U) Claude Perdriel and Jean Daniel Bensaid, two prominent 
leftists, founded Le Nouvel Observateur in 1964.  Affectionately 
called "Le Nouvel Obs," the magazine is now France's leading 
left-of-center weekly publication.  Since 1984, Claude Perdriel has 
been the majority shareholder, with 93 percent of the group which 
also publishes the magazines Challenges and Science et Avenir; the 
remaining 6 percent and 1 percent are held by Le Monde and the 
magazine's journalists, respectively. 
 
7. (SBU) Director Jean Daniel Bensaid is a key figure in French 
media circles, although he has been progressively transferring 
management to news directors Laurent Joffrin and Serge Lafaurie. 
Algerian-born Bensaid was an active supporter of Algerian 
independence, and was a confidante of the late President Mitterrand 
during the latter's first term.  He is deeply attached to France's 
policy independence and its international role, especially in the 
Middle East.  Although not anti-American per se, he was highly 
critical of the war in Iraq and remains generally critical of 
American foreign policy.  Le Nouvel Obs has a reputation for a 
pro-Israeli editorial slant.  Key journalists include deputy news 
directors Jacques Julliard and Josette Alia, European correspondent 
Jean-Gabriel Fredet, political editor Pierre Benichou, foreign 
 
PARIS 00007635  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
editor Rene Backmann, and commentator and international affairs 
correspondent K. S. Karol.  New York correspondent is Philippe 
Boulet-Gercourt. 
 
-------------------------------- 
PARIS-MATCH, CIRCULATION 728,671 
-------------------------------- 
 
8. (SBU) Paris-Match is the top weekly magazine in terms of 
circulation.  While the other weeklies, L'Express, Le Point and Le 
Nouvel Observateur, are frequently compared to TIME and NEWSWEEK, 
Paris-Match is more often called the French LIFE magazine.  The 
magazine emphasizes the number and quality of its photos -- the 
magazine's photographers are among the best-known in France -- and 
the magazine's slogan is "Weight of the words, shock of the photos." 
 The magazine celebrated its 3000th issue in November.  It is also 
focuses more on people than on issues, particularly political 
issues. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
LE JOURNAL DU DIMANCHE, CIRCULATION 274,304 
------------------------------------------- 
 
9. (U) Le Journal du Dimanche is one of the few newspapers published 
in France on Sunday.  It aims to provide entertaining and timely 
reporting, and focuses in large measure on weekly trends in domestic 
French politics. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
COURRIER INTERNATIONAL, CIRCULATION 195,043 
------------------------------------------- 
 
10. (U) The weekly Courrier International (part of La Vie-Le Monde 
group) publishes, in French, a selection of important articles from 
the worldwide press. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
LE CANARD ENCHAINE, CIRCULATION 550,000 
--------------------------------------- 
 
11. (U) The satirical Wednesday weekly Le Canard Enchaine, founded 
in 1916, is an exception on the press scene, maintaining its 
editorial independence by refusing any advertising.  Le Canard 
Enchaine's journalists own the paper, and they write in a humorous 
or mocking tone, especially when covering politicians.  The paper 
criticizes abuses of power through caricatures and puns and is one 
of France's few examples of investigative journalism.  Over the 
course years, Le Canard Enchaine has uncovered a number of serious 
affairs.  It is particularly caustic and biting when reporting on 
current U.S. policies, although unsparing of French politicians as 
well. 
 
------------------ 
OTHER PUBLICATIONS 
------------------ 
 
12. (U) Among business magazines, the independent monthly Capital 
(circulation 375,974), owned by Prisma Presse under the auspices of 
Bertelsmann and Jahr groups, has reinforced its lead position ahead 
of monthly L'Expansion (circulation 166,408), although the latter 
remains more influential in business circles. 
 
13. (U) Radio and television guides are among the most popular 
French magazines.  TeleZ (1,736,569), Tele 7 jours (1,751,889), Tele 
Loisirs (1,381,304), and Tele Star (1,404,249) have the largest 
circulation. 
 
14. (U) Celebrity-watcher and women's magazines are also 
flourishing.  Gala (334,507), Point de Vue (298,777), Voici 
(528,084), Closer (420,763), Ici Paris (421,953), Choc (368,473) are 
best-known for their coverage of jet-setters.  Marie-Claire 
(480,288), Elle (352,026), Marie-France (197,520), Femme Actuelle 
(1,233,523), and Prima (624,092) contribute to a traditional image 
of French fashion, beauty and art of living, while developing 
in-depth reporting and active involvement in social issues. 
 
15. (U) France also has a significant number of elite publications 
akin to Foreign Affairs in the U.S., especially Politique 
Internationale, Politique Etrangere, La Revue des Deux Mondes, 
Commentaire, and Le Debat.  The cultural press has attractive titles 
across many domains paticularly with Beaux-Arts Magazine (monthly, 
52,961), Art Press, Chronic'Art, Technikart (monthly, 43,900), Le 
Magazine litteraire (monthly, 48,412), La Quinzaine litteraire, and 
Diapason (monthly, 39,599). 
STAPLETON