Jean Prouvost

Jean Prouvost (Roubaix, North, April 24th 1885 -? , October 18th 1978), is an industrialist and French press baron.

Biography

Born in a family of industrialists of North, Jean Prouvost takes again the family company (combing Amédée Prouvost) which it enriches and transforms. It creates then the company of spinning mill the Wool one of Roubaix , which is located quickly in the forefront of European textile industry.
After the First World War, Jean Prouvost is interested in the press companies. In 1924 it buys Paris-Midday , which draws then with 4000 specimens. Six years later, thanks to a marketing policy and editorial daring, pulling reaches the 100.000. In 1930 it repurchases Paris-Evening. It introduced there methods which proved reliable with the the United States: development of headlines to the one, photographs spectacular, quality of paper, and especially transformation of the contents of the newspaper. It recruits the best journalists (whose Pierre Lazareff, Paul Gordeaux and Herve Thousand) and makes sure occasional collaboration of great names of the literature: Colette covers the various facts; Jean Cocteau makes the round the world tour for the newspaper; Georges Simenon investigation into resounding criminal cases. It uses as war correspondents Blaise Cendrars, Joseph Kessel, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Gaston Bonheur, Paul Gordeaux. On the occasion the special correspondents are Maurice Dekobra, Pierre Mac-Orlan, Pierre Daninos. Of 70.000 specimens in 1930, the pulling of Paris-Evening goes up to the considerable figure of 1.700.000 in 1936. Jean Prouvost constitutes soon a true empire including/understanding Marie-Claire, female magazine repurchased in March 1937, and Match (sporting magazine), in 1938.
During the Second world war, whereas France is largely invaded and with the day before to deposit the weapons, Jean Prouvost becomes, on June 6th 1940, Minister for Information in the government Paul Reynaud, then on June 19th high commissioner with Information in the government Pétain, station of which he resigns the July 10th, 1940, whereas Pétain receives the full powerss.
During the Occupation, two Paris-Evening coexist: that of Paris, repudiated by Jean Prouvost and his collaborators supports the Collaboration, while an other appears with Lyon, with the line ambiguity, and which ends up being scuttled. During this period, Jean Prouvost is made hate as well by the Régime of Vichy as by the Résistance. Â the Libération it is struck of national Indignité, but the High Court of justice grants a to him Non-lieu in 1947.
After this date, Jean Prouvost undertakes the rebuilding of its empire dismantled with the Release (Paris-Evening, become France-Evening, does not belong to him any more). Match reappears under the name of Paris-Match and Marie-Claire reappears in 1954. In 1950, the group Prouvost- Béghin repurchases half of the actions of the Barber. In 1960, Jean Prouvost buys Télé 60 of which it makes Télé 7 days, newspaper of television which is an enormous success (3 million specimens in 1978), while Paris-Match declines, illustrated magazine competed with by the Audiovisuel. In 1966, Jean Prouvost is interested in the radio and between for a big part in the capital of Radio-TV-Luxembourg.
From 1970, the Prouvost empire enters during one time of difficulties. In July 1975 Le Figaro is sold with Robert Harrowing, while in June 1976 Télé 7 days and Paris-Match pass to the group Hachette. With died of Jean Prouvost, occurred in October 1978, only the publications female remain in its family.

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