Jeremy Norman’sHistoryofInformation.com Exploring the History of Information and Media through Timelines
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Jeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative CommonsBearer bond in S. A. Petit Journal issued on April 1, 1896. Marinoni's high speed steam powered press is visible in the lower right corner.
Jeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative Commons
Portrait of Moïse Millaud, (Bordeaux 1813 et Paris 1871) by Emile Lassalle (1813 - 1871.
Jeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative Commons
By the year 1900 Le Petit Journal advertised that it was read by 4 million readers, and that one million copies of this Supplément illustré were printed.
Jeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative CommonsDetail of a Le Petit Journal color calendar issued in 1894 touting the million copy circulation of the newspaper.
Jeremy Norman Collection of Images - Creative CommonsOn February 1, 1863 Moïse Polydore Millaud published the first issue of Le Petit Journal in an edition of 83,000 copies. After Marinoni acquired the newspaper by 1894, he was able to increase ciirculation to one million copies.
"Within two years the Journal was printing 259,000 copies, making it the largest daily in Paris. By 1870, it had reached 340,000 copies; twice the figure for the other major dailies put together. Much of this progress was made possible by the rotary presses that had been designed by Hippolyte Auguste Marinoni in 1866 and installed at the Journal in 1872.
"Despite its apparent successes, the Millaud family found themselves in financial difficulties and, in 1873, sold their interests in the company to a group headed by Émile de Girardin. In 1882, Marinoni took control of the Journal, succeeding Girardin. In 1884, he introduced the Supplément illustré, a weekly Sunday supplement that was the first to feature color illustrations. This became so popular that, in 1889, Marinoni developed a color rotary press that could print 20,000 sheets per hour. By 1895, one million copies of the supplement were being produced every week and the Journal had a press run of two million copies, 80% of which went to the provinces, making it France's predominant newspaper" (Wikipedia article on Le Petit Journal, accessed 8-2020).
