La Presse was founded on 16 June 1836 by
Émile de Girardin as a popular
conservative enterprise. While contemporary newspapers depended heavily on subscription and tight party affiliation,
La Presse was sold by street vendors. Girardin wanted the paper to support the government, without being so tied to specific cabinets that it would limit the newspaper's readership. The initial subscription to
La Presse was only 40
francs a year while other newspapers charged around 80 francs. From July 1836 it
serialised The Countess of Salisbury the first novel of
Alexandre Dumas, which was such a success that it followed it up with
Honoré de Balzac's
La Vieille Fille.
La Presse and
Le Siècle are considered the first titles of the industrialized press era in France. ==See also==