Measuring the usefulness of demanding journalism
Entitled “Reading The Cross…and after?” », this first impact report is based on a dual approach: the analysis of observable societal impacts (quotations in public and institutional reports, associative relays, concrete transformations, etc.) and a survey carried out among 1,200 readers to understand what reading the media changes in their relationship to the world.
Without claiming to be exhaustive, the report identifies five main types of impact which structure the newspaper’s editorial line today:
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Bring hope to life;
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Understand and make Christians heard;
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Promote dialogue and create connections;
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Strengthen the capacity to act;
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Influencing public debate and decision-making.
Through this approach, La Croix affirms a conviction: the role of a media cannot be reduced to capturing attention, it also consists of helping to understand, connect, dialogue and act.
“This approach is that of a media which honestly seeks to measure its role. We believe that information, exercised with rigor and humanity, can contribute to connecting and regaining grip on reality. » Anne Ponce, editorial director
Tangible and measurable impacts
Among the notable lessons:
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68% of readers say they feel hope when reading La Croix, compared to 44% when faced with current events in general;
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81% believe they are able to dialogue with people who do not share their opinions, in a context of strong polarization of public debate;
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62% of readers who took civic or personal action during the year indicate that La Croix played a role in their decision.
This report traces the main editorial highlights of La Croix in 2025 and their individual and collective resonance, including:
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The “We need to talk” initiative, carried out with several partner media, brought together more than 5,000 people who agreed to meet a stranger with opposing beliefs and 78% of participants wanted to keep in touch after their exchanges;
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A report from a Gazan father separated from his children helped not only to bring the family together but also to mobilize donations for Unicef to the tune of 84,000 euros;
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The La Croix investigation revealing in 2019 the persistent contamination linked to the former Saint-Félix-de-Pallières mine, which became the centerpiece of the case, contributed to the conviction of Umicore by the Nîmes Court of Appeal in May 2025.
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With more than 500 published contents, 3,600 new readers, hundreds of positive feedback and two awards, the “Let’s Talk Ecology” editorial operation has opened up spaces to think about possible paths in the face of the environmental emergency.
This first edition is only a starting point. La Croix aims to publish this report every year in order to measure, over the long term, the effects that its journalism produces. By accumulating observations and data year after year, it aims to become a true barometer of the impact of the media on its readers and on society.
