Syndicat de la presse indépendante d'information en ligne

The Syndicat de la presse indépendante d'information en ligne (Spiil) is a French professional union created in October 2009 to defend the professional interests of independent online news publishers. It was founded by the leaders of seven digital-native news outlets: Arrêt sur images, Bakchich, Indigo Publications, Mediapart, Rue89, Slate.fr and Terra eco. The creation followed the adoption of the Hadopi 1 law in May 2009, which established the legal status of 'online press publisher' and allowed qualifying websites to receive state press aid previously reserved for print media. The Spiil was formed because its founders believed a dedicated union would better represent the specificities of pure players than the existing Groupement des éditeurs de services en ligne (Geste), which grouped large French press groups. The union's stated purpose is to study, represent and defend the professional, economic, ethical, material and moral interests of independent online press publishers, whether generalist or specialised. Member sites must be independent and employ at least one full-time professional journalist. The first general assembly took place in October 2009, electing Maurice Botbol of Indigo Publications as president, Laurent Mauriac of Rue89 as vice-president, Edwy Plenel of Mediapart as secretary-general, and Éric Leser of Slate.fr as treasurer. Other board members included Nicolas Beau (Bakchich), Walter Bouvais (Terra eco) and Daniel Schneidermann (Arrêt sur images). Within a year, about sixty additional websites joined the seven founders. In December 2012, Rue89 announced its departure from the union at the request of its shareholder, the Perdriel group, which had acquired the site a year earlier; Rue89 formally left on 2 January 2013. In February 2015, Jean-Christophe Boulanger, CEO of Contexte, was elected president and was renewed in May 2018. In March 2021, Laurent Mauriac (Brief.me) and Cécile Dubois (94Citoyens) became co-presidents. In 2017, the general assembly decided to open the Spiil to publishers beyond digital press, so it now also represents independent print and audiovisual publishers. By January 2022, the union counted 260 member publishers; its website later reported over 230 member publishers. The Spiil provides services to its members, including expert documentation (60 fact sheets and articles), a bi-monthly newsletter covering legal monitoring, press aid calendars and calls for projects, and assistance with CPPAP accreditation files and aid applications (emergence grant, FSDP, pluralism aid, local social information media support fund). It organises monthly thematic workshops and webinars, an annual Online Press Day (JPI) bringing together over 300 professionals, and biannual dinners with media leaders and international experts. It also runs a forum for 400 professionals and a directory of 400 independent press professionals. The union engages in lobbying: it is registered as a representative of interests with the French High Authority for Transparency in Public Life, declaring annual costs of between €10,000 and €25,000 for direct parliamentary lobbying in 2018, and has been listed in the EU Transparency Register since 2011, declaring €10,000 in expenses for 2019. In 2024, Emmanuelle Mauger joined as new director-general.

The Syndicat de la presse indépendante d'information en ligne (Spiil) was created in October 2009, following the adoption of the Hadopi 1 law in May 2009. That law introduced the legal status of 'online press publisher', granted by the Commission paritaire des publications et des agences de presse (CPPAP). The commission number allowed news websites to access state aid previously reserved for print press. In this context, French pure-player news sites decided to form their own professional union, believing it would be more effective than the Groupement des éditeurs de services en ligne (Geste), which represented large press groups, to defend their specific interests. The founding members were seven publishers: Arrêt sur images, Bakchich, Indigo Publications, Mediapart, Rue89, Slate.fr and Terra eco. The first general assembly was held in October 2009. Maurice Botbol (Indigo Publications) was appointed president; Laurent Mauriac (Rue89) became vice-president; Edwy Plenel (Mediapart) became secretary-general; Éric Leser (Slate.fr) became treasurer. Other board members were Nicolas Beau (Bakchich), Walter Bouvais (Terra eco) and Daniel Schneidermann (Arrêt sur images). The union's purpose, as stated on its website, is to 'study, represent and defend the professional, economic, ethical, material and moral interests of independent online press publishers, generalist or specialised'. Member sites must be independent and employ at least one full-time professional journalist. Within a year, around sixty additional websites joined the seven founders. In December 2012, Pierre Haski, president of Rue89, informed the Spiil president of his departure from the union 'at the request of its shareholder'. Rue89 had been bought a year earlier by the Perdriel group, owner of the weekly Le Nouvel Observateur. On 2 January 2013, following a request from the Nouvel Observateur group, Rue89 left the Spiil it had helped found. In February 2015, Jean-Christophe Boulanger, chairman and CEO of Contexte, was elected president of the union. He was renewed in that role in May 2018. In March 2021, Laurent Mauriac, president of Brief.me, and Cécile Dubois, editor-in-chief of 94Citoyens, succeeded him as co-presidents. In 2017, the general assembly decided to open the Spiil to publishers beyond digital press. Since then, the Spiil has represented independent publishers of print or audiovisual media as well. By January 2022, the union counted 260 press publishers. Between October 2018 and September 2020, François Meresse was director-general of the union. In 2024, Emmanuelle Mauger joined as new director-general. Financially, Spiil members benefit from state aid on the same basis as print press, as well as financial support from the Fonds d'aide au développement des services de presse en ligne (SPEL). That fund was created following the États généraux de la presse écrite and established in 2009 by decree. It was to allocate €60 million in aid over three years, in the form of repayable advances and subsidies. In 2009, €15.4 million was allocated, of which 5% went to online press. The Spiil is active in lobbying. It is registered as a representative of interests with the Haute Autorité pour la transparence de la vie publique. It declared that in 2018, annual costs related to direct interest representation activities with Parliament were between €10,000 and €25,000. Various topics were addressed with the National Assembly between 2017 and 2019: representation of the Spiil on the Commission de la carte d'identité des journalistes professionnels; media education; reform of press aid on pluralism and media neutrality (opening to online press services; 2.1% VAT rate, internet content); transparency in content moderation policies of platforms; reform of the legal announcements market. The Spiil has been registered since 2011 in the EU Transparency Register with the European Commission. It declared €10,000 in expenses for this activity in 2019.

• Hadopi 1 law adopted, creating the legal status of online press publisher.

• Spiil founded by seven pure-player news sites; first general assembly held.

• About sixty additional websites join the union within a year.

• Rue89 announces departure from Spiil at the request of its shareholder.

• Rue89 formally leaves the Spiil.

• Jean-Christophe Boulanger elected president of Spiil.

• General assembly decides to open Spiil to publishers beyond digital press.

• Jean-Christophe Boulanger renewed as president.

• François Meresse becomes director-general (until September 2020).

• Laurent Mauriac and Cécile Dubois become co-presidents.

• Spiil counts 260 member publishers.

• Emmanuelle Mauger joins as new director-general.

The voice of independent media in France, uniting over 230 independent press publishers.

• Expert documentation base

  60 fact sheets and articles for members.

• Bi-monthly newsletter

  Covers legal monitoring, press aid calendar, calls for projects, Spiil news, and sector trends.

• Assistance with CPPAP accreditation and aid applications

  Help with CPPAP files, emergence grant, FSDP, pluralism aid, and local social information media support fund.

• Monthly workshops and webinars

  Thematic events on legal, financial, social, marketing, ethics topics.

• Annual Online Press Day (JPI)

  Gathering over 300 professionals around strategic issues.

• Biannual dinners

  With media leaders and international experts.

• Forum

  400 professionals share experiences and best practices.

• Directory

  Directory of 400 independent press professionals.

1. 1Syndicat de la presse indépendante | Spiilspiil.org
2. 2Wikidata entry Q3508262wikidata.org
3. 3Syndicat de la presse indépendante d'information en ligne - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org