Emile de Girardin Launches "La Presse," Initiating "Penny Press" Journalism and Serialized Fiction in France

On June 15, 1836 French journalist and politician Émile de Girardin inaugurated penny press journalism in France with the pilot number of his new popular daily conservative newspaper, La Presse. The first formal issue was published two weeks later on July 1. The subscription price of La Presse was only forty francs a year, half the cost of traditional newspapers in France. It was the first newspaper to lower its price, extend its readership and increase its profitability through advertising. A brief review of the early issues available in BnF Gallica indicates that by the issue of August 9, 1836 La Presse was beginning to carry advertisements on its last page, and these were steadily increasing in number. Girardin also had La Presse sold by street vendors to further promote circulation when most other French newspapers depended heavily on subscription that was frequently tied to political party affiliation. While Girardin wanted La Presse to support the government, he also wanted to avoid tight political affiliation that would limit the newspaper's readership.

Besides publishing advertisements, Girardin began the serial publication of novels in his newspaper in order to increase circulation. Up to this date newspapers in France included a "feuilleton" containing literary and theatrical criticism, etc. Girardin augmented these with works of fiction by some of the most promising authors of his time. Alexandre Dumas' Comtess de Salisbury appeared from July 15 to September 11, 1836 . La Vielle Fille of Balzac from October 23 to November 30, 1836 . This change in publishing format caused new works to be written, taking into account the cutting rules imposed by serialized publication. Théophile Gautier was responsible for artistic criticism in La Presse from 1836 to 1837. He continued to collaborate with the newspaper for twenty years, mainly as a drama critic.