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La Presse Régionale was a French Catholic press group founded by Paul Féron-Vrau in 1905.
History
Foundation: Combatting the Bloc des gauches
Paul Féron-Vrau, a wealthy textile industrialist from the North of France and heir to Philibert Vrau and Camille Féron-Vrau, founded La Presse Régionale on 1 August 1905. Féron-Vrau had already acquired the Catholic publishing house Maison de la Bonne Presse and the daily La Croix in 1900. He was joined in this new venture by his cousin André Bernard, an administrator of the Compagnie des mines de Courrières and president of the Forges et aciéries de Denain et Anzin, who served as the first chairman of the board until his death in 1913.
La Presse Régionale was organized as a consortium, with its headquarters initially located on Rue Bayard, at the Maison de la Bonne Presse, before moving to 43 Rue de Trévise in Paris just before World War I. The initial capital of one million francs, divided into 1,000 shares, was subscribed to by 178 individuals, primarily Catholic businessmen from northern France.
The group's objective was to provide financial support to provincial Catholic newspapers, enabling them to establish a solid footing, build a readership, and sustain operations. Assistance extended to technical and logistical support, including funding, distribution, access to information, and advertising networks. Early collaborators included journalists and staff from La Croix and Maison de la Bonne Presse.
Role in French Catholic and Political Life
La Presse Régionale was closely aligned with the Ralliement movement and the Action Libérale Populaire (ALP). Paul Féron-Vrau and André Bernard, both prominent figures in the ALP, leveraged the press group to combat the Bloc des gauches and its anticlerical policies, including the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State. Supported by prominent clergy and industrialists, the newspapers in the group defended religious freedom and criticized anticlerical measures.
By 1910, La Presse Régionale included 11 newspapers, operating across 57 departments. The group's capital grew to 2.85 million francs by 1913, reflecting its expanding influence.
Interwar Period and Expansion
After World War I, La Presse Régionale continued to consolidate its role in the Catholic press. By 1920, the group’s capital had increased to 3.35 million francs. The group owned several major newspapers, including La Liberté du Sud-Ouest and Le Nouvelliste de Bretagne, and aimed to establish a robust alternative to conservative and reactionary press networks aligned with the Fédération Républicaine.
One notable failure was Le Nouveau Journal, launched in 1925 in Lyon. Despite initial support, it struggled financially and was acquired by Le Nouvelliste in 1932.
Decline and Legacy
During the German Occupation in World War II, several newspapers in the group adopted collaborationist stances. For example, La République du Sud-Est in Grenoble became aligned with the Vichy regime, leading to its suppression in 1944.
Despite these setbacks, La Presse Régionale played a significant role in French Catholic journalism during its existence. Its efforts to foster a nationwide Catholic press network remain a significant chapter in the history of French media.
Notes
- And not 1904, as is sometimes stated.
- L'Eclair de l'Est ran editorials opposing the "tyranny of a parliamentary majority" and the "Masonic discipline" of the Third French Republic.
References
- Historique de la filature PH. Vrau et Cie
- La Croix, 28 October 1913.
- La Chronique de la presse, 1905, p. 616.
- Vingt-cinquième anniversaire de la fondation de La Presse régionale, Lyon, 1929, p. 27.
- Cote de la Bourse et de la Banque, 8 September 1905.
- Hugues Beylard, Paul Féron-Vrau au service de la presse, Paris, 1961, p. 71.
- Jean-Claude Delbreil, Centrisme et démocratie-chrétienne en France, Paris, 1990, p. 86.
- Marc Martin, Médias et Journalistes de la République, Odile Jacob, 1997, p. 247.