MONTREAL – After 131 years, the French daily La Presse is turning a page on its publishing history.
Thursday, La Presse published it’s final weekday hardcopy edition in favour of its tablet app La Presse +. The weekend edition will continue to be published on Saturdays.
“I feel horrible,” long-time subscriber Carole Olivier said. “I’ve been reading the newspaper for over 30 years. It’s part of my morning ritual.”
The full move to digital comes nearly three years after the daily launched La Presse + in April of 2013.
Slumping ad revenues for the paper version is what first prompted the move to digital. Guy Crevier, the newspaper’s’ publisher and president said the move paid off. He said ad sales for the app are now outperforming sales for the print edition.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, La Presse‘s Eric Trottier said the time was for rejoicing and not nostalgia.
Olivier disagreed. “I tried the app,” she said. “I don’t like it.”
The retiree confirmed she’ll be trying out a new newspaper, but already pines for the days of curling up in the mornings with her copy of La Presse and a warm cup of joe, a ritual she’ll be able to enjoy on Saturdays, but who knows for how long.
With a file from La Presse Canadienne
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