What evolution of medias ?

First of all, informations arrives thanks to newspaper. From the end on the ninetieth century to the middle of the twentieth century , newspapers were paramount to keep an eye on the news. 

The Dreyfus affair began on 1 November 1894 when a newspaper of extreme right, led by the anti-Semitic journalist Edouard Drumont, breaks military secrecy and reveals a Jewish officer is accused of having betrayed France, spying at benefit of Germany. It is the first mediatic scandal which increase the impact of medias. 

Most newspapers engages appears then, some were anti-Dreyfus: La Croix, Le Petit Journal. Others provide a forum for intellectuals (this term is then created) defending the innocence of Dreyfus.

The Dreyfus affair is not the only event that provoque the development of medias. Thanks to the First World War, people can be aware of the avanced of war

With the outbreak of war, the press is strictly controlled to avoid breakage of the Sacred Union and demobilization of the "rear". This return of censorship is called "cramming." The political crisis is avoided at the cost of freedom of expression.

To fight against this control, a new free press appears, based on derision. 

After the war, Europe is completely destoyed and extremism became more and more powerful. The media response to crises in the inter-war period and the Second World War (1918-1945)In the 1920s and 1930s, newspapers have again republican liberties. New titles appear. On the  right is affirmed now the French Action, founded by Charles Maurras. On the left, Humanity became a communist newspaper. Radio also are emerging.

This new medium diffuses rapidly from the 1920s half the households owns in 1936. The state has the monopoly of emissions and antenna concessions. The programs avoid as much as possible to engage in crisis, if not to support the government line.

The media deals with the establishment of the Vichy regime.

Upon the declaration of war on 1 September 1939, the press is under control. Stalin is allied with Hitler, the Communist newspaper L'Humanité is prohibited. When full powers are attributed to Marshal Pétain 10 July 1940, the press is already under control or favorable to that vote and denounces this little break with the Republic ahead.

The regime of Marshal Petain is based on the right logs pre-war years and the events planned to film and broadcast on radio, including Radio Paris. Resistance reacts with the printing and distribution of illegal newspapers like Libération. The prestige of the press remained after the war. Radio London helps to maintain the link between the French and General de Gaulle.

New media and political crises since 1945

After the war, television appears. The first issue date to 1947. In 1949, a news program is broadcast every day. From the 1950s, television diffuses rapidly. It is strictly controlled by the state through the ORTF.

Press opinion is modernizing and takes the form of magazines: Paris Match, L'Express, Le Nouvel Observateur.

The war of Algeria in May 1968: the mobilized media

An attempted coup in Algiers by military supporters of French Algeria, May 13, 1958. The call to General de Gaulle saves the Republic and led to the proclamation of a new constitution. De Gaulle uses television to speak directly to the French and explain the meaning of this new regime. Furthermore, the press continues to be controlled in Algeria, especially the left one, in favor of independence.

Events of May 1968 creates a duel between gorvernement and students who wants to express themselves freely. Many of these students wants governement reduce the censorship and stop uses media as instruments to control people lifes.

Since the 1980s, a new relationship between the media and opinion appears through surveys. Moreover, there was a decline in sales of so-called newspaper of "opinion". Television and radio broadcasts offer consensual.

New Media

The relationship between media and opinion are deeply transformed by the massive use of the Internet, which removes the mainstream media initiative dissemination of information and making it much faster. These networks were particularly activated to organize the great republican demonstration against the National Front between the two rounds of 2002.

Thus, the media were powerful revealing the great movements of public opinion, but also the transition to information for the masses and not just for the elite. In each of the political crisis, the media witnessed the intensity of politics and citizen engagement. They were also an issue that power has often tried to control.