2.7 billion copies distributed in 2023, down 4.6% compared to 2022

The Alliance for Press Figures (ACPM) also reported 75 million visits per day to sites and applications.

The circulation of the French press fell by 4.6% in 2023 compared to 2022, according to data from the Alliance for Press and Media Figures (ACPM) published Thursday February 15. “2.7 billion copies” were released in 2023, “i.e. 7.5 million copies per day”. The ACPM also recorded an average of 75 million visits per day to sites and applications.

In detail, the regional daily press (PQR) represents 37% of this circulation. Then come the magazine press (36%) and the national daily press (16%). The other press families represent a much smaller share of the total circulation: 5% for the so-called seventh-day press, 3% for the free daily news press, 2% for the regional weekly press, 1% for the press professional.

The general public’s paid press was distributed in 2.4 billion copies, including 721 million in the form of digital versions (tablets, computers, mobile phones).

Regional daily press down, national press up

The regional daily press and 7th day went from 6.3 million copies sold on average per publication in 2022, to 6.1 million. On the other hand, the number of visits to PQR sites and applications increased by “3% over one year” (24 million per day). West France remains the title that sells the most (602,830 copies). Far behind on the podium, arrive South West (189,098) and The Parisian (188 118). All titles of the regional daily press have experienced a drop in sales but it is more marked for certain newspapers such as Provencebought at the end of 2022 by the CMA-CGM group of shipowner Rodolphe Saadé (-8.81%) or The voice of the North (-8.15%).

Among the new titles launched in 2023, La Tribune Sunday – launched by billionaire Rodolphe Saadé – comes in 20th place among the best-selling weeklies with 41,552 copies. The Sunday Journal saw its sales fall by 21.31% in 2023 compared to 2022. A large part of the editorial staff resigned after the takeover by Vincent Bolloré and after the appointment as head of the JDD by Geoffroy Lejeune, journalist influenced by the extreme right.

Unlike the PQR, the national daily press saw its circulation increase by 1.7% over one year. Le Monde, Le Figaro And The Team are the best-selling titles.