WEEKLY MAGAZINES: SECOND IN A SERIES ON FRENCH MEDIA

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