Havas

a French news agency founded in 1835 by C. Havas. It originally worked on the distribution of advertisements for the press. In 1870, Havas began to exchange news with the major news agencies of the world. It became a joint-stock company in 1879, and its owners were representatives of the French financial oligarchy. After the occupation of France by the German fascists in 1940, Havas ceased operation. In 1944 the news service Agence France-Presse was created around the Havas agency. The advertising department that remained after the termination of the Havas agency became the largest advertising agency, handling all the advertising for French nationalized enterprises and institutions such as the Bank of France, the railroads, the aviation company Air France, and the Renault factories.