Editing Le Temps (section)

== History ==

=== Predecessor papers ===
The paper's three predecessors were the {{Lang|fr|[[Gazette de Lausanne]]}} (founded 1798), the {{Lang|fr|[[Journal de Genève]]}} (founded 1826), and {{Lang|fr|[[Le Nouveau Quotidien]]}} (founded 1991).<ref name="HDS-JDG">{{HDS|024799|Journal de Genève|date=19 February 2020|author=Bollinger, Ernst}}</ref><ref name="HDS-GDL">{{HDS|024789|Gazette de Lausanne|date=15 August 2005|author=Bollinger, Ernst}}</ref><ref name="HDS-LNQ">{{HDS|048331|Le Nouveau Quotidien|date=09 September 2010|author=Bollinger, Ernst}}</ref> The ''{{Lang|fr|Gazette de Lausanne}}'' and the ''{{Lang|fr|Journal de Genève}}'' were merged in 1991 as the {{Lang|fr|Journal de Genève et Gazette de Lausanne}}, which was partially motivated by those paper's financial issues as well as the impending creation of {{Lang|fr|Le Nouveau Quotidien}}.<ref name="HDS-JDG" />''<ref>{{Cite news |date=1991-02-20 |title=Deux quotidiens vont fusionner |trans-title=Two dailies to merge |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=EXR19910220-01.2.51 |access-date=2024-08-22 |work=[[L'Express (Switzerland)|L'Express]] |location=Neuchâtel |page=11 |language=fr-CH |via=[[e-newspaperarchives.ch]] |issue=42 |issn=1660-7457 |agency=ats}}</ref>'' Due to financial issues, it was proposed that the ''{{Lang|fr|Journal de Genève}}'' and {{Lang|fr|Le Nouveau Quotidien}} merge in 1996.<ref name="L'Express1996">{{Cite news |date=1996-12-06 |title=Presse: Pas de fusion lémanique |trans-title=Press: No merger in Lake Geneva |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=EXR19961206-01.2.85 |access-date=2024-08-22 |work=[[L'Express (Switzerland)|L'Express]] |location=Neuchâtel |page=17 |via=[[e-newspaperarchives.ch]] |issue=284 |issn=1660-7457 |agency=ats}}</ref> The editorial staff of both papers met, but this was declined by publisher [[Edipresse]] as it would have resulted in layoffs.<ref name="L'Express1996" /> Later that year, the papers again proposed a merger, as they were both facing financial troubles, and it was agreed they would the next year.<ref name="HDS-LNQ" /><ref name="L'Express1997a">{{Cite news |date=1997-06-25 |title=Presse Fusion du NQ et du JdG, le "Nouveau Journal" naîtra |trans-title=Press merger of NQ and JdG, the "Nouveau Journal" is born |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=EXR19970625-01.2.71 |access-date=2024-08-22 |work=[[L'Express (Switzerland)|L'Express]] |location=Neuchâtel |page=16 |via=[[e-newspaperarchives.ch]] |issue=144 |issn=1660-7457 |agency=ats}}</ref> 

The editor-in-chief of the news magazine ''[[L'Hebdo]]'', {{Ill|Eric Hoesli|fr}}, became the director and editor-in-chief of their new combined paper, then provisionally named the ''{{Lang|fr|Nouveau Journal}}'', to be headquartered in Geneva. Hoesli had formerly worked for the NQ. The editors-in-chief of the two merged papers, Ignace Jeannerat and Campiotti, were to assist him.<ref name="L'Express1997a" /> The JdG's company and Edipresse would each own 47% of the new title, with the future editorial team having 6%.<ref name="L'Express1997a" /> Hoesli expressed that the new paper should not be a patchwork of the old two, but an entirely new publication.<ref name="L'Express1997a" /> The [[Competition Commission]] accepted the merger in December 1997, as despite the fact that it gave Edipresse an advantage the JdG was unlikely to survive given the market conditions, so it was the least harmful option.<ref name="L'Express1997b">{{Cite news |date=1997-12-02 |title="Le Temps" Naissance autorisée sous conditions |trans-title="Le Temps" Creation authorized under conditions |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=EXR19971202-01.2.90 |access-date=2024-08-22 |work=[[L'Express (Switzerland)|L'Express]] |location=Neuchâtel |page=19 |via=[[e-newspaperarchives.ch]] |issue=279 |issn=1660-7457 |agency=ats}}</ref> In February 1998 the NQ and the JdG were discontinued, with their successor, {{Lang|fr|Le Temps}}, formed the next month.<ref name="HDS-LNQ" /><ref name="jost">{{Cite news |author=Jost |first=Cyril |date=2011-02-04 |title=The challenges confronting the Swiss press |url=http://www.inaglobal.fr/en/press/article/challenges-confronting-swiss-press |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223194857/http://www.inaglobal.fr/en/press/article/challenges-confronting-swiss-press |archive-date=2014-12-23 |access-date=2016-05-29 |work=Ina Global |language=en |issn=2273-6832}}</ref>

=== Later ===
The first issue of {{Lang|fr|Le Temps}} was printed 18 March 1998.<ref name=":1">{{Historical Dictionary of Switzerland|045251|Le Temps (journal)|author=Heiniger, Alix|date=2017-01-05}}</ref> Hoesli was followed as editor-in-chief by Jean-Jacques Roth, starting in 2002.<ref name=":1" /> Roth was succeeded in 2010 by Pierre Veya.<ref name=":1" /> Chairman of the board of directors was [[David de Pury (diplomat)]], a Swiss businessman and diplomat, who played a key role in establishing the paper’s governance structure. Then succeeded by Gilbert Couteau in 2001, himself succeeded by Stéphane Garelli in 2001.<ref name=":1" />

Edipresse held 47% of shares in the paper until 2011, when it was sold to [[Tamedia]].<ref name=":1" /> It was bought by Ringier Axel Springer (a joint venture between the Berlin publisher [[Axel Springer]] and the Swiss publisher [[Ringier]]) in 2014.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Enderlin |first=Serge |date=2020-11-05 |title=La Fondation Aventinus rachète le quotidien suisse "Le Temps" |trans-title=The Aventinus Foundation acquires the Swiss daily newspaper "Le Temps" |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/actualite-medias/article/2020/11/05/la-fondation-aventinus-rachete-le-quotidien-suisse-le-temps_6058623_3236.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-06-19 |work=[[Le Monde]] |location=Paris |language=fr-FR |issn=0395-2037}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |date=2020-11-03 |title=Le journal Le Temps racheté par la fondation Aventinus pour 6,5 millions |trans-title=Le Temps newspaper bought by the Aventinus Foundation for 6.5 million |url=https://www.rts.ch/info/economie/11724577-le-journal-le-temps-rachete-par-la-fondation-aventinus-pour-65-millions.html |access-date=2024-11-26 |work=[[Radio Télévision Suisse]] |location=Geneva |language=fr-CH |agency=ats/jpr/kkub}}</ref> In the late 2010s, the paper's advertising revenue and subscriber count began to decline, resulting in serious financial problems. Its subscriptions numbered 20,000, a decrease of half compared to five years prior, with the number dropping further to 14,000 in 2020. The [[COVID-19 pandemic]] reduced its advertising revenues 80% for the French Swiss press. The paper was agreed to be bought by a private non-profit foundation, Fondation Aventinus, in November 2020.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":52">{{Cite journal |last=Robotham |first=Andrew T. |last2=Pignard-Cheynel |first2=Nathalie |date=2024-08-08 |title=You Said Digital First! A Five-Dimensional Definition According to Journalists from Three Swiss Newspapers |journal=[[Journalism Practice]] |language=en |volume=18 |issue=7 |pages=1702–1721 |doi=10.1080/17512786.2022.2104745 |issn=1751-2786 |doi-access=free}}</ref> It was acquired in January 2021, for an estimated 6.5 million euros.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |title=À propos |trans-title=About us |url=https://www.letemps.ch/a-propos |access-date=2022-08-12 |work=Le Temps |location=Geneva |language=fr-CH |issn=1423-3967}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> All staff, which numbered about 100, were transferred to a new company established in Geneva.<ref name=":6" /> Following this ownership change print production became more detached from web content.<ref name=":52" />