France: Daily newspaper readership up 4.4%, 12.5% rise for free dailies

Posted by Lauren Drablier on September 15, 2008 at 10:43 AM

According to a study released on Monday by Audipresse, a company which audits French newspaper circulations, the daily French press has seen a significant increase in readership.

There has been a 4.4 percent surge in readership. Readership of national dailies has risen by 7.4 percent, placing daily readership at 8,773,000. In spite of the increase in readership, sales have seen a decline of 1.8 percent in the last year.

Free dailies have seen an increase of 12.5 percent, including Direct Soir, Direct Matin and Direct Bretagne, placing daily readership at 4,188,000.

Every newspaper saw an increase in readership: 7,4 percent for Le Figaro, 1.8 percent for Libération and Le Monde, 13.2 percent for Le Parisien, and a 10.6 percent for L'Equipe.

20 Minutes is the most read daily, placing it ahead of L'Equipe, Métro, Le Parisien and Le Monde.

Xavier Dordor, director of Audipresse has cited one of the reasons for the increase in readership as local elections. The elections have increased public interest, therefore augmenting the sales of national papers. Increased sales are also attributed to the coverage of topics that most French people have been preoccupied with over the last year, such as inflation and buying power.

Source: CB News, Le Monde.fr