Around ten billionaires own 80 percent of France's daily newspapers as well as TV and radio stations which together account for around half of the total audience rates. However, resistance to this concentration process is growing.
France: the struggle for an independent press continues
Lejeune's appointment is seen as showcasing the French media landscape's gradual shift to the right. Not only are existing titles and broadcasters acquiring a more right-wing bias, but new outlets such as the sovereigntist website Front Populaire or the identitarian monthly magazine L'Incorrect are joining the ranks of conservative to right-wing media.
Intimidation by the authorities
Physical attacks, harassment by police and protesters at demonstrations, and intimidation on the part of the security agencies are also hampering journalistic work. In response to the latter there have been renewed calls for the protection of sources to be strengthened. The États généraux de l'information, an expert body which includes representatives from academia and the NGO Reporters Without Borders, was set up in October 2023 to find solutions to these and other challenges, including the regulation of artificial intelligence.
A proud history and highly diverse
Yet press freedom has a long tradition in France: the world's first newspaper titled "Relation" was printed in the seventeenth century in Strasbourg, and during the French Revolution the number of newspapers ballooned to around a thousand. In 1881, press freedom was enshrined in the French constitution, and France is also home to the world's first news agency, Agence France-Presse (AFP), founded in 1835.
Television plays a central role in public debate – in particular the 8 p.m. news programmes broadcast by the private channel TF1 and the public service channel France 2. When French presidents want to address the nation, they have traditionally done so on France 2. France is among the countries with the largest number of radio stations in the world – around 900 at present. The public service broadcaster Radio France offers news as well as cultural and regional programmes. However, President Emmanuel Macron has also started using new media formats such as YouTube and TikTok to reach the younger generations.
France's print media segment is highly diverse. The most widely-read national newspapers are Le Parisien, Le Figaro and Le Monde, but certain regional newspapers such as Ouest-France reach even more readers. Although many newspapers are struggling with a declining circulation, two successful new newspapers, La Tribune Dimanche and Franc-Tireur, have been launched in recent years. Many of these titles offer plenty of space for the exchange of opinions. French newspapers are also increasingly eager to attract readers from outside France. The Catholic newspaper La Croix and Le Monde both offer an English-language online version, and La Croix also offers content in Spanish.
World Press Freedom Index (Reporters Without Borders):
Rank 24 (2023)
