"End of the Golden Age" French News Magazine Strives to Increase Subscribers

French news magazines, which once enjoyed a golden age, are now seeking survival strategies due to declining readership and advertising revenue.

French news magazine 'L'Obs' / Photo by L'Obs website capture

According to the daily newspaper Le Figaro on the 21st (local time), among the 216 news magazines registered with the French Press and Media Circulation Association (ACPM), 178 outlets (82%) saw a decrease in paid circulation compared to the previous year. Only 33 publications experienced an increase in circulation.

The three major French news magazines recorded the following figures: Le Point had a 1.5% decrease to 290,000 copies, L'Obs (formerly Le Nouvel Observateur) dropped by 7.4% to around 190,000 copies, and L'express declined by 5.0% to 140,000 copies.

The problem is not only the decline in offline circulation but also the drop in internet subscription rates, which were expected to be an alternative growth driver. In the case of L'Obs, the number of digital subscribers last year was 21,000, a 24% decrease from the previous year. As readership declines, advertisers are reluctant to place ads in news magazines, which ultimately leads to financial deterioration due to reduced advertising revenue.

News magazines facing this crisis are exploring various survival strategies.

L'Obs, which recorded a deficit last year, plans to change its name back to its former title, Le Nouvel Obs, starting next month and redesign its website. The weekly magazine Marianne will reduce its issue size from 88 pages to 48 pages before the European elections and lower its sales price. Instead, it plans to focus on increasing website subscribers. Natasha Polony, editor-in-chief of Marianne, said, "We must prioritize all our efforts on web publishing to adapt to new working methods and prepare for the future."

Jean-Paul Dietz, vice president of the association, stated, "Currently, news magazines are undergoing extensive financial and editorial restructuring," and added, "Increasing internet subscribers also requires significant investment."