Courrier International
Encyclopedia
Courrier International is a Paris-based French weekly newspaper which translates and publishes excerpts of articles from over 900 international newspapers. It also has a Portuguese and a Japanese edition. Courrier Japon was launched on November 17, 2005 and is published by Kodansha Limited
.
Courrier international is published by the media group La Vie-Le Monde (literally, "The Life - The World"). Conceived in the autumn of 1987 by four Parisians, Jean-Michel Boissier, Hervé Lavergne, Maurice Ronai and Jacques Rosselin, it was first published on the 8 November 1990, one year after the fall of the Berlin Wall, financed by Pierre Bergé
and Guy de Wouters (of the Société Générale de Belgique
).
A "Volume Zero", in a print run of several hundred demonstration copies, was printed on the 22 June 1988. It was financed by a fund-raising round from family and friends of the founders, brought together a few months earlier in a method dubbed the "calendar multiplier" by Ronai and Rosselin.
The maqazine's publication was prescient, it was a time of important international news and the second issue sold . The issues published during the Gulf War
, begun in January 1991, which translated Arab newspapers banned in France were especially successful. A series of big world developments proved the viability of the concept: the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis described by Russian journalists, Algerian elections through the eyes of the Arab press, the Maastricht referendum
as written about in Europe, and William Clinton's election as predicted by American newspapers.
Jacques Rosselin, one of the founders, managed the magazine until the end of 1994, less than a year after it was bought by Générale Occidentale (a subsidiary of Alcatel
who also owned L'Express
and Le Point
). The deal was completed in March 1994 for 83 million francs, though the magazine would wait until 1999 to break even. Courrier International was then sold to Vivendi
, together with L'Express, then to Le Monde
group, which had looked to buy it since its creation. Rosselin was succeeded by Bernard Wouts, who joined via Générale Occidentale. Wouts, a former executive of le Monde, had met with the founders in 1989 but declined their offer to join the then fledging magazine.
Today the paper is part of le Monde group and edited by Philippe Thureau-Dangin, who joined in 1993. A number of original employees are still there, the most senior are Hidenobu Suzuki and Kazuhiko Yatabe, who worked on number zero in June 1988.
For its twentieth anniversary, on the 9 September 2010, Courrier international unveiled a new logo and layout.. The redesign was accompanied by a marketing campaign which included an image of two places circling, without colliding with, the digitally shortened towers of the World Trade Center
in New York. The implication being that if the towers had been smaller there would have been no collision. The image, which illustrated the magazine's new slogan « Learn to anticipate » (« Apprendre à anticiper »), solicited numerous negative reactions in the United States..
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
.
Courrier international is published by the media group La Vie-Le Monde (literally, "The Life - The World"). Conceived in the autumn of 1987 by four Parisians, Jean-Michel Boissier, Hervé Lavergne, Maurice Ronai and Jacques Rosselin, it was first published on the 8 November 1990, one year after the fall of the Berlin Wall, financed by Pierre Bergé
Pierre Bergé
Pierre Bergé is a French industrialist and patron. He is perhaps best known as the co-founder of Yves Saint Laurent Couture House and former partner of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.-Early life:...
and Guy de Wouters (of the Société Générale de Belgique
Société Générale de Belgique
The Société Générale de Belgique was one of the largest companies that ever existed in Belgium. It was founded in 1822 by William I, and existed until 2003, when its then sole shareholder, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux, merged it with Tractebel to form Suez-Tractebel.-History:As part of the terms of the...
).
A "Volume Zero", in a print run of several hundred demonstration copies, was printed on the 22 June 1988. It was financed by a fund-raising round from family and friends of the founders, brought together a few months earlier in a method dubbed the "calendar multiplier" by Ronai and Rosselin.
The maqazine's publication was prescient, it was a time of important international news and the second issue sold . The issues published during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, begun in January 1991, which translated Arab newspapers banned in France were especially successful. A series of big world developments proved the viability of the concept: the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis described by Russian journalists, Algerian elections through the eyes of the Arab press, the Maastricht referendum
Maastricht Treaty
The Maastricht Treaty was signed on 7 February 1992 by the members of the European Community in Maastricht, Netherlands. On 9–10 December 1991, the same city hosted the European Council which drafted the treaty...
as written about in Europe, and William Clinton's election as predicted by American newspapers.
Jacques Rosselin, one of the founders, managed the magazine until the end of 1994, less than a year after it was bought by Générale Occidentale (a subsidiary of Alcatel
Alcatel
Alcatel Mobile Phones is a brand of mobile handsets. It was established in 2004 as a joint venture between Alcatel-Lucent of France and TCL Communication of China....
who also owned L'Express
L'Express (France)
L'Express is a French weekly news magazine. When founded in 1953 during the First Indochina War, it was modelled on the US magazine TIME.-History:...
and Le Point
Le Point
Le Point is a French weekly news magazine. It was founded in 1972 by a group of journalists who had, one year earlier, left the editorial team of L'Express, which was then owned by Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, a député of the Parti Radical...
). The deal was completed in March 1994 for 83 million francs, though the magazine would wait until 1999 to break even. Courrier International was then sold to Vivendi
Vivendi
Vivendi SA is a French international media conglomerate with activities in music, television and film, publishing, telecommunications, the Internet, and video games. It is headquartered in Paris.- History :...
, together with L'Express, then to Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
group, which had looked to buy it since its creation. Rosselin was succeeded by Bernard Wouts, who joined via Générale Occidentale. Wouts, a former executive of le Monde, had met with the founders in 1989 but declined their offer to join the then fledging magazine.
Today the paper is part of le Monde group and edited by Philippe Thureau-Dangin, who joined in 1993. A number of original employees are still there, the most senior are Hidenobu Suzuki and Kazuhiko Yatabe, who worked on number zero in June 1988.
For its twentieth anniversary, on the 9 September 2010, Courrier international unveiled a new logo and layout.. The redesign was accompanied by a marketing campaign which included an image of two places circling, without colliding with, the digitally shortened towers of the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
in New York. The implication being that if the towers had been smaller there would have been no collision. The image, which illustrated the magazine's new slogan « Learn to anticipate » (« Apprendre à anticiper »), solicited numerous negative reactions in the United States..