Extra: The emergence of free newspapers in France between 2002 and 2006: from resistance to adaptation of the paid press

Abstract

This article examines the questions that were raised by the emergence of the free daily newspapers Metro and 20 Minutes in France and analyses how the paid press responded over time. The process unfolded in two distinct phases, both marked by resistance from the traditional daily press. During a relatively short first phase (2002-2003), the publishers of paid press publishers tried to fight the success of Metro and 20 Minutes. During the second phase (2003-2006), some of these publishers realized that they needed to reconsider the phenomenon of free newspapers and integrate them as part of their strategic thinking.