When the ancien régime collapsed during the summer of 1789 the newspaper press was free for the first time in French history. The result was an explosion in the number of newspapers with over 2,000 titles appearing between 1789 and 1799. This study, originally published in 1988, traces the growth of the French Press during this time, showing the importance of the emergence of provincial newspapers, and examining the relationship of journalism with political power. Concluding chapters discuss the economics of newspapers during the decade, analysing the machinery of printing, distribution and sales.
1. The Emergence of a Free Press 2. The Paradise of Freedom: Paris and the Provinces, 1790-1791 3. The Wheel of Fire: Censorship War and Terror, 1792-1794 4. Paradise Regained: Thermidor to Fructidor 1794-1797 5. Paradise Lost: The Scratch of the Minister’s Pen, 1797-1799 6. Proprietors, Journalists and Printers: The Making of Newspapers 7. Selling the Finished Product
Biography
Hugh Gough
