The headline to Philip Stone's latest posting explains the new enthusiasm for print in France: "The young French are attracted to paid-for newspapers – as long as someone else, like the taxpayer, does the paying"
The French government is providing an annual €600m (£510m) subsidy that allows anyone aged between 18 and 24 to to receive one copy of a newspaper a week.
They can choose from a list of titles. After its first year, the target of 200,000 was exceeded by 50%. The new target is 210,000 new readers.
A survey indicates the scheme's success because these new readers say they now buy other newspapers or read their chosen title online on the days they don't get their free copy.
There is certainly room for growth. The French are not great newspaper readers, with just 46% of the population reading a daily paper.
Source: FollowTheMedia
