France Soir ("France Evening") is a French daily newspaper that prospered during the 1950s and 1960s, but has declined since then, under various owners. It was re-launched as a populist tabloid in 2006.

[edit] History

France Soir was originally founded as the underground paper Défense de la France ("Defense of France") in November 1944 by Pierre Lazareff, but was renamed France Soir after World War II. The paper grew to be ranked among the country's (and the European continents) most circulated, reaching 1.5 million in 1955. Early in the 21st century circulation dropped below 90,000.^[1]

[edit] Cartoon Controversy

In February of 2006, Jacques Lefranc, managing director of the paper, was dismissed by then owner Raymond Lakah for re-printing the cartoon depictions of the Prophet Muhammad that were the subject of the "Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy". The 12 cartoons were printed with the addition of another depicting other religious figures sitting on a cloud with the caption reading, "Don't worry Muhammad, we've all been caricatured here.". ^[2]

[edit] Aquisition by Jean-Pierre Brunois and Olivier Rey

In April of 2006, the Tribunal of Commerce in Lill announced that the paper would become the property of Jean-Pierre Brunois, a real-estate developer, and Olivier Rey, a former journalist for the paper. The tribunal had been overseeing the bankruptcy and bids for take over since October 2005, at which point the circulation had dropped to around 50,000. The decision lead to strike by the staff who were displeased with Brunois plan to cut costs by firing much of the staff, and increase circulation by turning the paper into a tabloid. The opposing bid, favored by the staff, was from Arkadi Gaydamak, owner of The Moscow News, who had promised not to fire the staff^{[3] [4]}. Because of the turbulence no issue published for a month and a half.

Brunois brought in British photographer Jason Fraser to help with the tabloid remodeling of the paper.^[5]

[edit] References

1. ^ "France-Soir". Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
2. ^ "French editor fired over cartoons", BBC (2006-02-02). 
3. ^ Burke, Jason (April 16 2006). "Super soaraway Soir? Quelle horreur!". The Guardian. Retrieved on 2008-08-20.
4. ^ Crampton, Thomas (April 14, 2006). "Workers on strike over dealat France Soir", International Herald Tribune. Retrieved on 2008-08-20. 
5. ^ "Jason Fraser: A red-top in the land of les bleus", independent.co.uk (12 June 2006). Retrieved on 2008-08-20. 

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