Libération

Libé is a daily news paper. It started in a city called Paris. Men named Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July made it.

It began in 1973. The paper has many ideas. It likes to defend freedom. It also helps small groups of people.

In the early days, it was very funny. All the workers got the same pay. This included the boss and the cleaners.

It was the first daily paper in France to have a website. This helps people read news on computers.

Many people in France still read it today. It is a very famous paper.

Libé is a daily newspaper in France. It started in Paris in 1973. Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July were its founders. The paper was made after big protests in 1968.

In the early years, the paper was very different. It had a funny and bold style. All workers got the same pay. This included the boss and the cleaners. Later, the paper changed how it worked. It began to take ads to make money.

Libé likes to defend freedom and small groups. It does not belong to one political party. It acts as a "counter-power." This means it checks on those in charge. In 1993, it showed that a president was using illegal wiretaps. A wiretap is a secret way to listen to calls.

The paper has faced hard times. In 2005, a man named Edouard de Rothschild bought a part of the paper. This caused many fights. Some staff members left because they worried about independence. In 2018, about 67,000 people bought the paper. It was also the first daily paper in France to have a website.

Libération is a daily newspaper based in Paris, France. Many people call it "Libé" for short. It was founded in 1973 by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July. The paper was created following the big protest movements of May 1968. It is known as a "newspaper of record" in France. This means people see it as a very important source of news. The paper aims to defend freedoms and protect minorities.

In its early years, the paper worked in a very unique way. It was run without a strict hierarchy, which means there were no levels of power. Every single employee received the same salary. This included the editor-in-chief and even the janitor. The paper also had a funny and bold writing style. It even included witty notes from the typesetters, called NDLC. Later, the paper changed to a more normal business setup. It began taking advertisements and outside money to help pay for things.

The history of the paper has seen many changes and big moments. It first published on February 3, 1973. Jean-Paul Sartre served as an editor until May 1974. The paper even stopped being published for a short time in early 1981. It resumed on May 13, 1981, with Serge July as the new director. Libé has always tried to act as a "counter-power." This means it checks on the people in charge of the country. For example, in 1993, it revealed an illegal wiretapping program used by President François Mitterrand.

The paper has faced many hard jobs regarding money and independence. In 2005, Edouard de Rothschild bought a 37% stake in the company. This caused a lot of conflict with the staff. Some people worried that the paper would lose its freedom. In 2005, Serge July also supported a European treaty that many readers disliked. This caused many readers to feel distant from the paper. In 2006, July had to leave the paper after a disagreement with Rothschild. Many other staff members also resigned during these difficult years.

Libé stays connected to the modern world through new technology. It was the very first daily newspaper in France to have a website. In 2010, it hosted a mirror of the WikiLeaks website to support them. In 2015, it worked with WikiLeaks to report on secret spying. These reports showed that the US National Security Agency was spying on French presidents. Even with these big news stories, the paper has faced challenges with its size. In 2018, its circulation was about 67,000. It continues to be a major part of French news.

Libération, often called "Libé," is a prominent daily newspaper based in Paris, France. It serves as a newspaper of record, meaning it is considered a highly important and reliable source of information. The publication was founded in 1973 by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July. Its creation was a direct response to the massive protest movements of May 1968. The newspaper defines its core identity, or "DNA," as being "liberal libertarian." This means it seeks to act as a platform for various left-wing views. Its primary mission is the defense of freedoms and the protection of minorities.

In its earliest years, Libération operated with a unique, non-hierarchical structure. This meant there were no traditional levels of power within the organization. Every employee, from the editor-in-chief to the janitor, received the exact same salary. The paper was also famous for an irreverent and humorous journalistic style. It featured innovative elements like the NDLC, or "note de la claviste." These were witty comments added at the last moment by the typesetters. Eventually, the paper moved toward a more conventional business model. It began accepting advertisements and external financing to stay operational.

The history of the paper is divided into distinct periods of change. The first period lasted from 1973 to 1981. During this time, Jean-Paul Sartre served as an editor until May 1974. One notable contributor during these early years was Samir Frangieh, a leftist Lebanese journalist. The paper faced a major crisis in early 1981 and stopped publishing in February. However, it resumed publication on May 13, 1981, under a new format. Serge July took over as the new director during this second period. While not tied to a specific political party, the paper maintained a left-wing slant.

Libération views itself as a "counter-power" in French society. This role involves acting as a check on the people in government. The paper often maintains difficult relations with both left-wing and right-wing administrations. A major example of this independence occurred in 1993. During that year, the paper leaked information about an illegal wiretapping program. This program had been used by the Socialist president, François Mitterrand. The paper also provides alternative perspectives on social and cultural events. For instance, it chronicles daily criminal trials to provide a more human vision of petty criminals.

The newspaper has faced significant challenges regarding its financial independence. In 2005, the paper was in need of funds. Serge July convinced the board to allow Édouard de Rothschild to buy a 37% stake in the company. This decision caused major social conflicts and strikes among the staff. In November 2005, workers went on strike to protest the layoff of 52 employees. Tensions grew when Rothschild began to interfere more actively in management. By June 2006, July left the paper after Rothschild demanded that July and the general manager resign. This departure marked the end of an era for many staff members.

These ownership disputes led to a massive loss of talent at the publication. Between 2005 and 2007, approximately 150 staff members left the newspaper. This included 62 employees who were prepared to resign in early 2007. Among those who left were 35 journalists, including notable figures like Pierre Haski. Some former journalists even used their experience to create new news websites. In 2014, the paper faced another dispute between journalists and shareholders. The shareholders wanted to turn the website into a social network to combat falling circulation. This conflict led to the resignation of the editor-in-chief, Nicolas Demorand.

Despite these struggles, Libération remains a leader in digital journalism. It was the first French daily newspaper to launch a website. In 2010, the paper showed solidarity with WikiLeaks by hosting a mirror of its website. This helped prevent the site from being blocked by governments and companies. In 2015, Libération worked with WikiLeaks to report on secret US spying. They revealed that the National Security Agency had been spying on French presidents. These reports covered activities from 2006 through 2012. Even with modern challenges, the paper remains a significant voice in the French media landscape. In 2018, the paper had a circulation of approximately 67,000 readers.