Libération

Libération (affectionately known as Libé) is a French newspaper founded in Paris in 1973 by Jean-Paul Sartre, Pierre Victor alias Benny Lévy and Serge July in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968.

Libération is one of the four big quality national daily newspapers, and was also the first French daily newspaper to have a website.

History

Libération-Nord and Libération-Sud

Libération was originally the name of the clandestine resistance newspapers Libération-Nord (published in Northern, occupied France) and Libération-Sud (published in Southern, Vichy France), first published in July 1941.

Libération, a newspaper founded in 1973 by Jean-Paul Sartre

First period (1973-1981)

The second, current newspaper, founded by Jean-Paul Sartre, published under the title Libération was published from 3rd February 1973. Sartre remained as editor of Libération until May 24, 1974.

The paper was initially run along non-hierarchical lines, with all staff – from the editor-in-chief to the janitor – receiving the same salary, but this later gave way to a "normal set-up". In the early 1980s it began to take advertisements and allowed external bodies to have a stake in its financing, which it had completely refused before, but continued to maintain a left-of-centre editorial stance.

Second period (1981-...)

After several crises, Libération temporarily stopped being published in February 1981. It resumed publication on May 13 under a new format, with Serge July as new director.

Libération has a decidedly self-described progressive editorial line, generally supportive of causes such as anti-racism, feminism, and workers' rights. According to co-founder and current director Serge July Libé is a militant newspaper that, however, does not support any particular political party, acts as a counter-power, and generally has bad relations with both left-wing and right-wing administrations. According to a deputy editor of Libé, Jean-Michel Helvig, Libération, though not affiliated with any political party is, from its 1968 origins, naturally left-wing.[http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jatteau/tpe/interviews.htm However, Libé's opinion pages (rebonds) publish views from many political standpoints.

Libé is known for its sometimes alternative points of view on cultural and social events. For instance, in addition to reports about crimes and other events, it also chronicles daily criminal trials, bringing in a more human vision of petty criminals. As Serge July puts it "the equation of Libération consisted in combining counter-culture and political radicalism". Critics contend, however, that this radicalism has largely receded since the 1970s and that Libé is no longer a truly left-wing newspaper [http://www.technikart.com/article.php3?id_article=359. The editors' decision, in 2005, to support the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was criticized by many of its readers, who later decided to vote "no" to a treaty seen as too liberal, lacking social views deemed necessary to the solid foundation of a "European nation".

At the end of 2005, employees of Libération went on strike, protesting against a downsizing plan which followed the acquisition by Edouard Etienne de Rothschild of 37% of the capital on January 20, 2005.

On the 13th June 2006, the newspaper was thrown into a new crisis as the editor, Serge July, a veteran of the Paris Student Rebellion of 1968 was asked to leave his role by the major shareholder, Edouard de Rothschild. The response of the famously loyal staff is uncertain, however, they have expressed concern that the newspaper would become a business enterprise, damaging its left-wing credentials.

Recent circulation history:

Year	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2004-2005
Circulation	169 427	169 011	171 551	164 286	158 115	146 109	140 334

External links

1973 establishments | French newspapers | Paris culture | Socialist newspapers