Rossel
Belgian media group with newspaper, magazine, digital publishing, and advertising activities in Belgium and France.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Rossel, formally known as Rossel & Cie, is a Belgian media group headquartered in Brussels and strongly associated with the French-speaking media market of Belgium, particularly Brussels and Wallonia. Its activities cover newspaper publishing, magazines, digital media, advertising sales, and investments in media businesses. The group’s portfolio combines national and regional titles, allowing it to operate across general news, local information, business journalism, and specialist publishing. The best-known Rossel publication is Le Soir, a Brussels-based Belgian daily founded in 1887. Le Soir is one of the group’s principal brands and serves as a major French-language news outlet in Belgium. Rossel also controls SudPresse, a subsidiary whose portfolio includes regional dailies such as La Capitale and La Meuse. These newspapers give the group a substantial presence in local and regional news, especially in French-speaking Belgium. The group has also been associated with a weekly magazine edition of Le Soir and with Metro, a Belgian free daily that operated from 2000 to 2023. Rossel’s Belgian activities extend beyond French-language general-interest newspapers. Together with DPG Media, the group acquired the business-news publishers behind De Tijd and L’Echo and combined them in Mediafin. Mediafin’s portfolio includes De Tijd, a Dutch-language Belgian financial newspaper, L’Echo, its French-language counterpart, and the investment publications De Belegger and L’Investisseur. This partnership gives Rossel exposure to business and financial journalism in both major Belgian language markets. The group also has a significant French presence through Rossel La Voix. Its French regional newspaper portfolio includes La Voix du Nord, based in Lille; L’Union, based in Reims; and Nord éclair, based in Roubaix. Through Sudmedia, Rossel is connected with additional regional publications including La Capitale and La Meuse. Its activities have also included participation in the French daily 20 Minutes, published in partnership with SIPA-Ouest-France, and involvement in a consortium that acquired the French magazines Psychologies and Première. Rossel therefore operates less as a single consumer-facing product brand than as a diversified publishing house. Its positioning is built on the reach and editorial identities of multiple established titles, spanning national news, regional journalism, business information, free daily newspapers, magazines, and related commercial services. The group’s portfolio structure combines wholly controlled or affiliated publications with joint ventures and partnerships, including Mediafin and the 20 Minutes publishing arrangement. Based on the available reference material, Rossel remains an active Belgian media group with operations in Belgium and France.
History
Groupe Rossel is a Belgian media organization based in Brussels whose principal historical base is the French-speaking newspaper market. Rather than being identified with one newly created publication, the group developed as a publishing house assembled around established newspaper titles and regional media operations. Its portfolio demonstrates a strategy of combining strong editorial brands with geographic and sectoral diversification. Le Soir is the central title in the group’s Belgian identity. The Brussels daily was established in 1887 and became one of Belgium’s important French-language newspapers. Rossel’s publishing activities also include a weekly magazine associated with the Le Soir name. Through SudPresse, the group expanded its reach into regional daily journalism. SudPresse publications include La Capitale and La Meuse, with La Meuse tracing its history to 1856 and La Capitale established in 2002 as the successor to La Lanterne. Rossel’s portfolio later extended into other formats and audiences. Metro, a Belgian free daily, operated from 2000 until 2023. The group also participated in 20 Minutes, a French daily established in 2002 and published together with SIPA-Ouest-France. These activities placed Rossel in both paid and free newspaper markets and connected its Belgian base with wider French publishing operations. A major development in business journalism came through cooperation with DPG Media. The two groups acquired the publishers of the Belgian financial newspapers De Tijd and L’Echo and merged the activities into Mediafin. De Tijd was established in 1968, while L’Echo was established in 1981. Mediafin also includes the investment magazines De Belegger, founded in 1994, and L’Investisseur, founded in 1983. This structure gave Rossel a presence in Dutch- and French-language financial journalism, alongside its established general-news activities. Rossel also built a substantial French regional newspaper presence under Rossel La Voix. This portfolio includes La Voix du Nord, a Lille-based regional daily established in 1941; L’Union, based in Reims and established in 1944; and Nord éclair, based in Roubaix and established in 1944. The French holdings broadened the group beyond the Belgian market while preserving its emphasis on regional information and established local brands. The group’s activities have additionally included magazine publishing and investment. Rossel led a consortium that acquired the French magazines Psychologies and Première. The available reference material does not provide the dates, transaction values, subsequent ownership details, or operating outcomes of that acquisition, so those details are not stated here. Overall, Rossel’s history is characterized by portfolio expansion across national, regional, business, free-daily, and magazine publishing. Its model relies on maintaining recognizable editorial brands, using subsidiaries and joint ventures to cover different audiences, and operating across Belgium and France. The group remains active, with Le Soir, SudPresse, Mediafin, and Rossel La Voix representing key components of its publishing footprint.
- 2023
Metro ends Belgian publication
[1]The Belgian edition of Metro ceased operating after a run that began in 2000.
- 2002
20 Minutes established and La Capitale relaunched
[1]The French daily 20 Minutes was established, while La Capitale was created as the successor to La Lanterne. Both titles are identified in the Rossel portfolio reference.
- 2000
Metro begins Belgian publication
[1]The Belgian free daily Metro began publication and remained active until 2023.
- 1981
L'Echo established
[1]The Belgian French-language business newspaper L'Echo was established and later joined De Tijd within Mediafin.
- 1968
De Tijd established
[1]The Belgian business newspaper De Tijd was established and later became part of Mediafin, the joint venture formed by Rossel and DPG Media.
- 1944
L’Union and Nord éclair established
[1]The French regional newspapers L’Union and Nord éclair were established, later becoming notable publications in Rossel La Voix’s portfolio.
- 1941
La Voix du Nord established
[1]The French regional daily La Voix du Nord was established in Lille; it later became part of Rossel’s French regional newspaper portfolio.
- 1887
Le Soir established
[1]The Brussels-based Belgian daily Le Soir was founded and later became one of Rossel’s principal newspaper brands.
- 1856
Origins of La Meuse
[1]La Meuse, later included among the SudPresse publications associated with Rossel, was established as a regional newspaper in Belgium.
Products and positioning
A diversified Belgian publishing group built around influential French-language national and regional newspapers, complemented by business media, magazines, digital publishing, partnerships, and advertising services.
National daily newspaper · 1887
Le Soir
Le Soir is a Brussels-based Belgian daily newspaper and one of Rossel’s leading brands. Established in 1887, it is a major French-language source of national and international news in Belgium. The Le Soir name is also associated with a Belgian weekly magazine edition.
Regional newspaper group
SudPresse
SudPresse is a Rossel subsidiary focused on regional daily journalism in Belgium. Its publications include La Capitale and La Meuse, giving the group a broad presence across local markets in French-speaking Belgium.
Business media joint venture
Mediafin
Mediafin is the publishing structure formed by Rossel and DPG Media after their acquisition and combination of the publishers of De Tijd and L'Echo. Its portfolio includes the two Belgian business newspapers as well as the investment magazines De Belegger and L'Investisseur.
French regional newspaper group
Rossel La Voix
Rossel La Voix represents Rossel’s French regional newspaper activities. Notable publications include La Voix du Nord in Lille, L’Union in Reims, and Nord éclair in Roubaix. The portfolio extends Rossel’s regional-news model beyond Belgium.
Free daily newspaper · 2002
20 Minutes
20 Minutes is a French daily newspaper established in 2002 and published together with SIPA-Ouest-France. Rossel is identified as a participant in its publishing arrangement, connecting the group with the free-daily newspaper segment in France.
Free daily newspaper · 2000
Metro
Metro was a Belgian free daily newspaper published from 2000 through 2023. It represented Rossel’s participation in high-frequency, accessible newspaper publishing alongside its paid national and regional titles.
French magazines
Psychologies and Première
Rossel led a consortium that acquired the French magazines Psychologies and Première. The available reference identifies the transaction but does not provide enough information to describe the subsequent ownership structure or current operating status.
Brand decisions
- Formation of Mediafin with DPG MediaM&A
Background
Rossel and DPG Media acquired the publishers of the Belgian business newspapers De Tijd and L'Echo.
Action taken
The acquired business-media activities were merged into Mediafin, which also includes De Belegger and L'Investisseur.
Aftermath
The transaction created a shared business-media structure spanning Dutch- and French-language Belgian financial journalism. The reference material does not specify the transaction date or financial terms.
- Acquisition of Psychologies and PremièreM&A
Background
Rossel sought to expand its French media activities beyond newspapers into magazine publishing.
Action taken
Rossel led a consortium that acquired the French magazines Psychologies and Première.
Aftermath
The acquisition broadened Rossel’s French portfolio into specialist magazine publishing. The available source does not state the transaction date, financial terms, or later ownership outcome.
Recent events
DPG Media and Groupe Rossel to acquire RTL Belgium[3]
Reported:
RTL Group announced the sale of its Belgian subsidiary RTL Belgium to DPG Media and Groupe Rossel in a €250 million deal. The deal was expected to close in the final quarter of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals.
Sources3 sources
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