Maurice Vidal

Maurice Vidal (born on May 28th, 1919 with the Garenne-Doves, Hauts de Seine) is a French and old sports correspondent directing Union of the republican youth of France. He was director of the weekly magazine Miroir Sprint and several specialized sporting magazines.

Communist militant

Resistant, Maurice Vidal is with the Libération one of the leaders of the youth movement close to the French Communist party, the Union of the republican youth of France (UJRF). In August 1946, at the time of the first congress of this organization, he is elected member of his National office. Its community activity of sports correspondent is related to this political commitment.

Journalist

He is initially journalist with the sporting daily newspaper Sports, created by PCF on February 2nd, 1946, of which the ambition is to supplant the sporting press which gathers around the Team. According to the restrictions whose French press was the object concerning its raw material, paper, Sports, initially tri weekly magazine, passes daily in spring 1946. Sports , gathers in its drafting of the sports correspondents experienced, like Albert Baker d' Isy, François Terbeen, and of the beginners in the profession, called journalistic career in the most various newspapers: François Thébaud, Andre Chaillot, Pierre Chany, Andre Costes, Louis Vincent, Commercial Jacques. For lack of readers of sufficient number, the daily newspaper becomes again weekly in 1947, for finally disappearing in October 1948. Maurice Vidal exerts then his trade of sports editor with This Evening, the daily newspaper of the evening directed by Louis Aragon. This newspaper, financed by PCF but while not being the ideological body is very open. It however owes cessee its publication in 1953. Maurice Vidal between as specialized chronicler of cycling to the daily newspaper Release, the newspaper of Emmanuel d' Astier of Vigerie. It holds a chronicle to with it, in particular at the time of the Tour de France. Its principal activity is however dependant on another title of the sporting press, Miroir sprint.

The person in charge of Mirror Sprint and Mirror of cycling

When Guy de Boysson is brought to leave the direction of the weekly magazine Miroir sprint, it is in Maurice Vidal that the position of director falls quickly. It directs Miroir Sprint of 1949 in February 1971, date the completion of publication of the title. Create in the tread, the new weekly magazine which it directs, Sport, version modernized of Mirror Sprint appears only 45 weeks. Thereafter some numbers devoted to the Olympic Games testify to the activity of the group of the editions Miroir Sprint, that Maurice Vidal directs until the end of the years 1970. Weekly magazine omnisport, Miroir Sprint creates with the turning of the years 1960 four magazine specialized monthly magazines, whose direction falls on to him. Miroir of cycling is the title which had the largest longevity. It is that which accepted the abundant collaboration of Maurice Vidal, because it was, lasting many years, at the same time directing editor association. From January 1960, creation date of the magazine, up to 1992, Maurice Vidal and Miroir of cycling is identified one with the other. In 1992, the magazine undergoes the fate of the Éditions Valiant-Mirror sprint: Maurice Vidal yields the direction of " son" newspaper with the financial transferee of the leading group.

The talent, often of style polemist, Maurice Vidal, is recognized by the Academy of the sports which decrees to him in 1967 the price Henri Desgranges. At the same time he is President of the European Public Service Union of the Sports correspondents of France.

bibliography of Maurice Vidal

Sports and Olympic Games . Editions the Farandole, Paris, 1976.
the adventure of the Tour de France . Editions Messidor, Paris, 1987.

Sources

Edouard Seidler. the sport and the press , collection Kiosk, A. Colin, 1964.
Mirror of cycling , number 95, January 1968.
Vélo Captions , number August 5th, th and th 1998, article of Jean Bouly: memories of Maurice Vidal .

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