Le Temps
On the 18th of March 1998, the first issue of Le Temps appeared in Geneva. This newspaper emerged from a consolidation of three struggling predecessors: the NQ, founded in 1798, and the JdG, which itself was formed by merging two other papers in 1991. The third predecessor, established in 1991, joined this effort to survive financial distress. Edipresse owned 47% of the new entity while the JdG company held another 47%. The editorial team received just 6% ownership stakes. Hoesli served as director and editor-in-chief for the provisional title before it became official. He had previously worked for the NQ. Ignace Jeannerat and Campiotti assisted him as editors-in-chief of the merged papers. The Competition Commission approved the merger in December 1997 despite concerns about market conditions. They determined that allowing the combination was less harmful than letting one paper fail entirely. Hoesli insisted the new publication would not be a patchwork but an entirely fresh start.
Edipresse sold its 47% shareholding in 2011 to Tamedia. Ringier AG purchased the newspaper in 2014. A joint venture between Ringier and Axel Springer took over ownership in 2016. Advertising revenue and subscriber numbers began declining sharply during the late 2010s. Subscriptions dropped from 20,000 to 14,000 by 2020. This represented a loss of half the readership compared to five years earlier. The COVID-19 pandemic cut advertising revenues by 80% across French Swiss press outlets. Fondation Aventinus agreed to purchase the paper in November 2020. The acquisition closed in January 2021 for approximately 6.5 million euros. All staff members numbered around 100 people were transferred to a newly established company in Geneva. Print production became more detached from web content after this change. David de Pury served as chairman of the board of directors until Gilbert Coutau took over in 2001. Stéphane Garelli succeeded Coutau later that same year.
Hoesli led the newspaper from 1998 through 2002. Jean-Jacques Roth followed him starting in 2002. Pierre Veya assumed the role in 2010. Gaël Hurlimann co-led the publication alongside another editor from 2015 to 2020. Madeleine von Holzen began her tenure in 2021 and continues today. The editorial team included Ignace Jeannerat and Campiotti during the initial merger phase. These leaders shaped the direction of the paper through various crises. Their decisions influenced how the organization adapted to financial pressures. Each editor-in-chief brought different perspectives to governance challenges. The succession pattern reflects broader shifts in Swiss media ownership structures. No single leader maintained control beyond eight years except for the founding period. This rotation ensured fresh approaches to declining circulation figures.
The newspaper circulated 45,970 copies in 2006. By 2009, that number fell slightly to 45,506 copies. In 2010, circulation reached 44,450 copies with 87% coming from subscriptions. Paid circulation dropped further to 36,391 copies by 2013. Subscribers numbered 20,000 before falling to 14,000 in 2020. The final figure recorded was 35,667 copies in 2025. These numbers reflect a steady decline over nearly three decades. Digital disruption contributed significantly to these reductions. Subscription rates remained high relative to total distribution throughout this period. The drop represented more than half the readership lost within five years. Financial distress forced difficult choices about staffing and production methods. Circulation data shows how traditional print models struggled against online alternatives.
Le Temps SA acquired the news portal in 2021 which had been created in 2019. The organization digitized archives of its three predecessor papers. Free access to these historical documents became available at www.letempsarchives.ch starting in 2016. Assistance came from the Swiss National Library and regional libraries. Content is now produced first for digital platforms before being printed. This approach marked an early adoption of digital-first production strategies. The newspaper maintains a mobile app alongside its website letemps.ch. Print operations moved from Tamedia printing works in Bussigny until March 2025. Since then, printing occurs at the DZB center in Bern. Weekly editions appear on weekdays with a separate Saturday issue released. Archive digitization preserved decades of Swiss journalism history for public use.
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Common questions
When did the first issue of Le Temps appear in Geneva?
The first issue of Le Temps appeared on the 18th of March 1998. This newspaper emerged from a consolidation of three struggling predecessors including the NQ and the JdG.
Who purchased Le Temps SA in November 2020 for approximately 6.5 million euros?
Fondation Aventinus agreed to purchase the paper in November 2020. The acquisition closed in January 2021 for approximately 6.5 million euros with all staff members transferred to a newly established company in Geneva.
Which editors-in-chief led Le Temps between 1998 and 2021?
Hoesli served as director and editor-in-chief from 1998 through 2002 followed by Jean-Jacques Roth starting in 2002. Pierre Veya assumed the role in 2010 while Gaël Hurlimann co-led the publication alongside another editor from 2015 to 2020 before Madeleine von Holzen began her tenure in 2021.
How many copies did Le Temps circulate in 2025 compared to previous years?
The final figure recorded was 35,667 copies in 2025 after dropping from 45,970 copies in 2006. Subscribers numbered 20,000 before falling to 14,000 in 2020 representing more than half the readership lost within five years.
Where does Le Temps print its weekly editions since March 2025?
Print operations moved from Tamedia printing works in Bussigny until March 2025 when printing shifted to the DZB center in Bern. Weekly editions appear on weekdays with a separate Saturday issue released.