Today there is a growing realization among journalists that providing information should be a real service in the public interest, which is free from the domination of private interests, and that there should be structures that guarantee the independence of journalists and the promotion of responsible and responsive journalism. In France, the "Le Monde" organization has pioneered the idea of democratizing news organizations so that journalists and readers participate in the management of information and in important decisions at the heart of press enterprises. This monograph, which is based on Jean Schwoebel's book, "La Fresse, le Pouvoir et l'Argent," outlines the ideas and principles on which the "Le Monde" organization is based. Separate chapters deal with the importance of the right to information in modern society; irresponsible journalistic practices caused by the financial considerations of the commercial press; background and early history of "Le Monde"; the growth of other journalists' associations in France; the foundation of the French Federation of Journalists' Association; and the rationale for a new type of limited-profit publishing company in which the founders and journalists share ownership equally. (GW)