Who owns our books?
Traditionally discreet about its internal struggles, the publishing world found itself in the spotlight after the dismissal of Olivier Nora, director of Grasset, on April 14. Decided by its owner, Vincent Bolloré, this sidelining caused a shock wave, leading to the departure of 220 authors, and relaunching the debate on the concentration of publishing.
Because in France, publishing resembles a constellation, dominated by five giants and thousands of small ones. At the top of the pyramid, Hachette Livre, controlled by Vincent Bolloré since 2022, had a turnover of nearly 3 billion euros in 2024. Behind, Editis (owned by the Czech Daniel Kretinsky) and Média-Participations (belonging to the French Vincent Montagne) are approaching a billion, followed by Madrigall and Huyghens of Participations.
Colossal results, linked to the share of foreign distribution of these companies. Without denying a “relative concentration” of the sector, Renaud Lefebvre, director of the National Publishing Union, specifies: “We still need to bring together the top ten publishing groups to reach 70% of the French market. »
Repurchase of small houses
Such structuring dates back to the Liberation. Three groups then took shape around Hachette, Presses de la Cité (which became Editis), and Gallimard, through the acquisition of small houses at half mast. Hachette, in particular, “has continued to strengthen since then,” underlines historian Jean-Yves Mollier. Passed under the control of Jean-Luc Lagardère in 1980, then of his son Arnaud, it was taken over in 2022 by Vincent Bolloré, already owner of Editis, which the European Commission forced him to sell to comply with competition laws.
Strategic overproduction
Faced with these behemoths, 2,000 independent publishers nevertheless continue to exist. In 2023, they represented 337 million euros in turnover and 20,000 new products, or half of the annual publications. “The strike force of the big groups is crushing us, and it’s the fight to be on the booksellers’ tables,” denounces Sophie Caillat, director of Éditions du Faubourg. Where the independents must make strict choices, the giants multiply almost identical productions to maximize their chances of success.
An overproduction from which literary diversity suffers: “Despite the numerous books published, the risk is that everyone reads the same thing,” laments the publisher. The most widely read French authors, Virginie Grimaldi, David Foenkinos and Mélissa Da Costa are published by Flammarion (owned by Hachette), Gallimard and Albin Michel. In 2025, the American Freida McFadden, author of The cleaning ladyplaced eight novels among the fifteen best sellers in France. It is nevertheless published by a small house, City Éditions. A breach in the system is therefore possible.
Added to this concentration is a determining factor: the strength of distribution and media coverage, enabled by the joint ownership of media and bookstores. “By holding the entire book chain, these groups have the possibility of imposing certain titles,” notes Séverine Weiss, president of the Permanent Council of Writers. However, for the reader to be able to choose, he must be aware of the diversity of the offer. This is a major democratic issue.” Here again, Hachette benefits from relays within the Bolloré ecosystem, also owner of media (Canal +, CNews, Europe 1, Le JDD, etc.) and Relay booksellers. The billionaire is regularly accused of using these entities for political purposes. Daniel Kretinsky, owner of Editis, also owns Elle, Marianne, and a significant share of Fnac. “He does not at all demonstrate the same interventionism as Vincent Bolloré,” nuance Jean-Yves Mollier.
Faced with this concentration, concern persists. Part of the sector is calling for a review of the 1986 anti-concentration law, which limits the accumulation of media to guarantee pluralism, but without integrating publishing. “However, in these groups, the desired goal is not profit,” notes Jean-Yves Mollier. The book still retains a very strong symbolic power. »
