Boulevard on the ground

The trade unionists are doing like the farmers who destroy food: At the end of October, 15,000 copies of newspapers were thrown onto the street outside the headquarters of the publishers' association. Passers-by had no choice but to walk over the papers. Three nationally circulated daily newspapers were affected, whose employees were demonstrating against new redundancies. It was a sad picture, symptomatic of the crisis facing newspapers, which experts say are entering an agony.

The second-largest business newspaper La Tribune - the renowned market leader Les Echos is also in the red - and the tabloids Le Parisien and France-Soir are at the bottom. Ringier was once under discussion as a takeover candidate for Le Parisien, while France-Soir was the newspaper with the highest circulation after the war - over one million copies. Today, the paper is owned by 27-year-old Russian Alexander Pugachev. But instead of the targeted 150,000 copies, the circulation is languishing at 50,000 - and falling. The editorial team went on strike against the announced discontinuation of the printed edition. Pugachev wants to lay off 90 of the 120 employees and only publish France-Soir online. La Tribune is considering the same approach. They are following the example of successful online information portals such as Rue89 (free) or Médiapart (subscription), for which there is nothing comparable in the German-speaking world. They are run by experienced journalists who invested their severance pay and, after modest beginnings, have become valuable parts of the media landscape. However, there is no successful example of the opposite approach - shrinking back to health.

While France-Soir is undoubtedly heading for its final demise, a positive development can be observed at the traditional newspapers. Figaro is diversifying with various Internet portals: Real estate, finance, health. Le Monde and Libération are in the black for the first time in years. A new magazine and supplements at the weekend, when there is less competition from the Internet, were launched. Circulation is rising slightly - also thanks to the strong topicality. Le Monde has just experienced the longest strike in its history: because of the printing plant, which is making huge losses. Once it has been wound up, the new owners will be able to invest even more in the newspaper that once belonged to the editors. In France, the wheat is currently being separated from the chaff - even if nobody wants to bet on the long-term future of the immediate survivors.

The iPad plays a central role in this. Le Monde has more than 100,000 subscribers who only read the paper online. Because it insists very strongly on its own identity, the newspaper is not present at the two e-kiosks. However, they are reporting astonishing figures and growth rates. At Relay.fr, you can read an unlimited number of online magazines for 20 euros a month, while competitor Kiosque.fr offers ten publications for 10 euros. The offer is broad - from L'Express to Marianne to Paris-Match, many competitors are under one roof. Apple has not allowed this model in other countries, and there will also be disputes in France.

Publishers have announced that they will boycott Apple's own Newsstand - thirty percent is excessive. They will - hopefully - be proved right. After all, manufacturers of TV sets and cell phones don't cash in when fees, advertising money and broadcasting rights flow.