Type Daily newspaper Owner(s) Groupe Ouest-France | Format Berliner Editor Jean-Luc Évin | |
Founded 1944; 73 years ago (1944) Political alignment Centrism
Moderate conservatism | ||
Ouest-France ([wɛst.fʁɑ̃s] ; French for "West-France") is a daily French newspaper known for its emphasis on both local and national news. The paper is produced in 47 different editions covering events in different French départments within the régions of Brittany, Lower Normandy and Pays de la Loire. Its readership has been unaffected by the decline of newspaper reading in France, unlike most other dailies. With 2.5 million daily readers (and a circulation of almost 800 000 units), it is the most read Francophone newspaper in the world, far ahead of French national newspapers such as Le Figaro and Le Monde.
Contents
History
Ouest-France was founded in 1944 by Adolphe Le Goaziou and others following the closure of Ouest-Éclair, which was banned by Liberation forces for collaborationism during the war. It is based in Rennes and Nantes and has a circulation about 792,400 (greater than any French national daily newspaper), mostly in Brittany.
Its editorial line has been strongly pro-European integration from the beginning, influenced by Christian democracy (Popular Republican Movement), now MoDem, Nouveau Centre or Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).
The paper had a circulation of 773,471 copies in 2001 and 764,731 copies in 2002 with a market share of 14.41%.
The distinct editions
The 47 different editions are divided among twelve départements :