The launch is planned "by the end of October", indicated to AFP Gilles Tanguy, former digital editorial director of the Prisma Media group, where he was responsible for the sites of Capital, Geo or Ca m'intrigues.

This media, which its founder wants to be "free and factual", will only include "exclusive information on companies and their managers, in all economic fields".

According to Mr. Tanguy, who will be the editorial director, "the team will be made up of economic journalists specializing in the scoop, who will be given time to carry out long-term investigations".

A dozen journalists have already been recruited, with a target of 15 to 20. Among them, defectors from Capital (Prisma Media group, controlled by billionaire Vincent Bolloré) or Marc Rees, editor-in-chief of the site specializing in digital Next INpact.

"L'informé" will work without advertising and on subscription, at 9.99 euros per month.

The new medium hopes to reach 50,000 subscribers in five years, a threshold "largely sufficient for its balance".

Its sole investor is the billionaire Xavier Niel, already present in the media with the Le Monde group (which notably includes the daily newspaper of the same name and Télérama), the Nice-Matin, France-Antilles or Paris-Turf group.

Without revealing the amount of this investment, Mr. Tanguy claims to have obtained from the billionaire "all possible guarantees of independence, the same as those in force in the world".

According to him, Xavier Niel "undertook to contribute the shares he holds in + L'informé + to the Fund for the independence of the press subject to the agreement of the latter", on the same mechanism as " the stake he holds in the Le Monde group".

Created in 2021 by the businessman, this endowment fund makes the capital paid to the media statutory non-transferable.

In addition, a Society of Journalists (SDJ) will hold 34% of the shares of "L'informé".

“She may oppose a change of shareholder and will have a right of veto over the appointment of the editorial director,” explained Mr. Tanguy.

"Xavier Niel will not be able to intervene in any way in the editorial line", he insisted.

© 2022 AFP