How the news arrived in the press

Sordid stories are now routine in the press. Everyone expects reporters to cover tragedies both local and national. Yet there was a time when this was less dramatically analyzed. Of course, judicial and police stories were covered, but not like in the 19th century. France will see this turning point, among others, in 1869. In September of that year, in a field in Pantin, six members of the same family were stabbed to death, including children. Initially, newspapers were under the authority of Napoleon III and thus gave little coverage to this story.

A young daily newspaper called "Le Petit Journal" staked everything on this Troppmann affair (named after the murderer) and this close follow-up would lead to sales of more than 500,000 copies the day after the murderer's execution. A colossal success in a France with a much smaller population than today. Other news organizations, seeing these potential profits, began to engage in investigative journalism. In fact, some of the practices of that time would be considered unethical today. For example, during the Pranzini case in 1887, news workers revealed information about the investigation, showed police malfunctions and even followed the arrests of possible suspects.

All of this would lead to the general public's attraction to the press for these scurrilous stories and give the idea that journalists sometimes knew more than the gendarmerie in certain cases. Daily newspapers will regularly approach one million readers with their reports. Since then, ethical codes have calmed the game, but the press has not grown tired of major court cases.

Length: 4min28

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