First, the basic economic facts about Libération’s “tragic situation.”
Two recovery plans have been proposed so far, independently from shareholders’ influence. These proposals vary between 100 and 66 layoffs – the latter being proposed by the employees’ representatives. Libération currently employs 280 people. Joffrin deems the final cuts will be somewhere in between.  
   The current financial situation of Libération is that of a ‘horror film’ he said. The paper is critically indebted, and he compares its future to the perilous situation of a “funambulist.” Joffrin evoked the basic figure of 15 million euros of investment needed to upholster Libération in the first year. Joffrin couldn’t say precisely who the investors were for Libération’s recovery, apart from main shareholder Edouard Rothschild who will contribute his ownership share (38%, roughly 5 million euros) to the investments.
   In 2007, Joffrin hopes Libération can halt its loss of significant loss of readership – around 6-7% from year to year. In the second year, 2008, if – here Joffrin listed the numerous factors that could lead Libération to legal bankruptcy, including investment withdrawals or any extension refusal by one of Libération’s creditors – if things go well Libération’s balance should return to a rough equilibrium. If not, “if there’s a comparable debt in one year, we’re dead,” said Joffrin.

   Secondly, Joffrin insisted on the importance of reorganizing the newspaper.
Libération must go through a true metamorphosis, a structural transformation, rather than a simple cost-effective staff reduction. Making the new Libération both “comprehend the world and change it.” Joffrin hoped Libération can become a “newspaper of intelligence” without falling into an elitist model, a newspaper produced for intelligent individuals from all social groups.
   He gave few details on concrete changes or specific plans for the paper’s recovery. As far as internal organization, Joffrin plans on “reducing the hierarchical line,” simplifying the copy desk process and returning to the basics of good writing. Joffrin also evoked the necessity of updating Liberation’s computer network and system – a priority among the first investments. He acknowledged the importance of online development, which now constitutes a decent source of investment and is quickly growing.   
   The new Libération will renew its emphasis on engagement, with incisive editorials, more polemical and critical content. “It was founded to give speech to the people,” Joffrin said. Liberation must put an end to the “arrogance of the media,” which too often regard the public condescendingly.
 
   The political agenda of Libération stays unchanged according to Joffrin. It will be a newspaper that “takes its responsibilities,” during election time for example, but without going as far as officially supporting a candidate. In any case, Libération should continue to fulfill its journalistic duty of objectivity and will “give a pluralist judgment to news.”   
   Joffrin will also try restoring the “plus-value of journalism,” since the value of information is too often undermined by what he called an actual phenomenon of “fast-news”, analogous to fast-foods. Although this effervescence of news makes it difficult for a particular source to distinguish itself – and is one of the causes of Liberation’s near-bankruptcy – he hopes it will also give Libération the opportunity “to give meaning” to a now-theatrical society.
   When asked why the successful former editor of Nouvel Observateur would choose to quit his job and engage in such a risky venture, Joffrin replies “Masochism,” half-jokingly. He knows Liberation’s recovery will be more than a challenge.