France Dimanche
| Company type | Weekly magazine |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
Area served | France |
Key people | Max Corre (former general manager) |
| Products | Celebrity news, gossip, scandals |
| Owner | Czech Media Invest |
| Parent | Czech Media Invest |
| Website | www |
France Dimanche (translated as France Sunday) is a French weekly magazine specializing in celebrity news, currently published by Czech Media Invest. It distributes approximately 150,000 copies per issue. Modeled somewhat after British tabloids but appearing on a weekly basis, the publication has focused on celebrity gossip and scandals since its establishment in 1946.
History
Established shortly after the conclusion of World War II in 1946, France Dimanche was created to deliver popular entertainment to a broad audience. Issued every Sunday, the magazine is known for its vivid photographs and bold headlines that explore various aspects of celebrities' lives, including their health, financial affairs, and personal relationships. Contributors frequently write under pseudonyms. The publication prioritizes sensational stories over standard news reporting or literary content.
The magazine's main demographic includes older adults and women between the ages of 35 and 50. It belongs to the group of sensationalist media outlets in France known as presse de sensation, alongside titles such as Ici Paris, France-Soir, and Paris-Match. This segment is also referred to as presse indiscrète, representing the French tabloid press. Among its notable contributors was filmmaker François Truffaut, who worked as both a writer and photographer.
In 2010, the magazine stirred controversy by publishing an article that claimed to feature an interview with the late singer Claude François conducted through a medium.
By 2019, Hachette Filipacchi Médias divested France Dimanche along with several other magazines, selling them to Czech Media Invest, which owns Czech News Center.
Circulation
The circulation of France Dimanche reached 450,000 copies in 1949. This figure grew to approximately 650,000 by the mid-1990s. In 2001, the magazine's circulation stood at 566,000 copies, then slightly decreased to 537,011 in 2004 before rising again to 575,000 in 2007.
Star coverage
During the 1950s and 1960s, France Dimanche regularly featured prominent celebrity news stories. For example, it published intimate photographs of Brigitte Bardot and Roger Vadim around the time they announced their divorce. The magazine also reported on high-profile separations involving figures like Maria Kallas and Eva Bartok. While it highlighted scandals involving celebrities, it generally refrained from harsh moral judgments on personalities such as Bardot.
Seizure
In 1949, French officials confiscated issues of France Dimanche prior to their distribution because they contained images of Princess Margaret vacationing in Capri that were considered offensive under laws protecting foreign dignitaries. The Paris police ordered the seizure due to concerns that the photographs might insult the British royal family. Among the disputed pictures were one showing an unidentified nude woman and others portraying the princess in suggestive attire.
The magazine condemned this action as an infringement on press freedom. Max Corre, the general manager at the time, announced plans for legal proceedings and pointed out that similar photographs had been published in Italy without issue. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the British Embassy had requested the seizure; however, representatives from the embassy denied any direct involvement.
While the French journalists' union criticized the publication of such images, it did not explicitly name France Dimanche. Concurrently, other French newspapers labeled the photographer's conduct as irresponsible and anticipated a scandal in Britain due to perceived violations of royal decorum depicted by these photos.
Lawsuits
In 1955, the publication was taken to court by Marlene Dietrich due to the release of private details about her. A decade later, in 1965, Gérard Philipe initiated legal action against the magazine following an article that discussed his son's health condition.