Since taking over as CEO of Groupe Le Monde in 2010, Louis Dreyfus has pursued a clear ambition: proving that high-quality journalism can be economically sustainable — primarily through digital subscriptions. At the World News Media Congress 2025 hosted by WAN-IFRA, he shared a series of concrete editorial, tech and marketing decisions that have powered the group’s consistent growth.
Key takeaways to copy & share
> Le Monde went from losing 10 million euros a year in 2010 to 25 million in EBITDA. The first lever was hiring: 310 journalists then, 560 now, an 80% increase > Growth came from widening the editorial mission rather than narrowing it. New sections on intimacy, housing and parenting, 36 journalists on Africa, and a weekly magazine now supplying a quarter of ad revenue > Some accounts were shared by more than 5,000 people. Rather than block them, Le Monde built prompts that upsell heavy sharers into duo and family plans, and now sells the tool to other publishers > Le Monde in English runs on seven staff, translating 40 articles a day, and already delivers half of all new international subscribers. The US, UK and Canada lead > ARPU stands at 11.84 euros a month, and the group expects digital revenue alone to cover the entire newsroom cost within two years. More subscribers means more journalism
1. Expanding editorial mission to broaden audience
Over the past 15 years, Le Monde has significantly widened its editorial scope to cover underreported topics and attract new readerships — without lowering its standards.
