Newspapers from Luxembourg and media of the Grand Duchy

The Luxembourg press is read in German, French, Luxembourgish, Portuguese and English: the Luxemburger Wort and Tageblatt, Le Quotidien and L'essentiel, Paperjam for business, Delano in English, Contacto in Portuguese, plus RTL and the public radio station 100,7, all online.

Since 1848, the Luxemburger Wort at the heart of the landscape

The Luxemburger Wort has appeared since 1848, in the wake of the revolution that eased censorship. Long owned by the archdiocese, it was sold in 2020 to the Belgian group Mediahuis, while the Tageblatt, born in Esch-sur-Alzette, stays close to the trade unions.

Wort, Tageblatt, Le Quotidien: which political leanings?

The Wort, rooted in the Christian Social tradition, remains the country's biggest daily. The Tageblatt defends a social democratic line, while Le Quotidien, launched in 2001, targets French speakers, including many cross-border workers from Lorraine and Belgium.

A press written in five languages

German remains the traditional language of the printed press, French dominates in administration and among part of the readership, and Luxembourgish prevails on radio and online. Contacto serves the Portuguese community and Delano the English-speaking expatriates.

Esch-sur-Alzette, the north and municipal news

In such a small country, most titles are national. The former mining south around Esch-sur-Alzette, birthplace of the Tageblatt, and the communes of the Ösling in the north are covered mainly by the regional pages of the dailies and by RTL.

L'essentiel, Virgule and news on mobile

L'essentiel, a free daily launched in 2007, is widely read by cross-border commuters through its app. The Virgule website offers news in French, while the RTL website publishes in Luxembourgish, French and English for a mixed audience.

With no major national agency, how does wire news travel?

Luxembourg has no national news agency comparable to AFP or Belga. Newsrooms draw on foreign agencies and on releases from the government's Information and Press Service, then carry out their own reporting on national affairs.

RTL Lëtzebuerg and radio 100,7

RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg and RTL Radio are the most followed broadcast media in the country, in Luxembourgish. The public radio station 100,7, an independent body funded by the state, offers news, culture and debate, and streams live online.

Cross-border workers and foreign communities: a press of their own

Nearly half of residents are foreign nationals, and many employees cross the border every day. Contacto for the Portuguese, Delano in English and L'essentiel for commuters complement the Portuguese press online read by a large Portuguese-speaking community.

Paperjam and the titles of the financial centre

Paperjam follows the economy, investment funds, banks and property in the financial centre. For sport, the dailies cover football in the BGL Ligue, cycling and tennis, keeping a close eye on Luxembourg athletes competing abroad.

Press subsidies and newsroom independence

The state supports pluralism through a press subsidy scheme, reformed in 2021 to include online media. Journalists work within a recognised framework of freedom, but the small size of the market leaves newsrooms financially fragile.

Paywalls, commuters and the press of neighbouring countries

The Wort and the Tageblatt keep part of their articles for subscribers, whereas L'essentiel and the RTL website remain free. Cross-border workers also read the Belgian press and the French press from Lorraine for news from where they live.

Verifying information in the Grand Duchy

Compare a German-language daily such as the Wort, a French-language one such as Le Quotidien, and RTL. For public decisions, consult government press releases, and for cross-border topics, the German press from Saarland and the Rhineland.

Staying informed about Luxembourg from abroad

1. Choose a daily in the language you read best: the Luxemburger Wort or Tageblatt in German, Le Quotidien in French.
2. Install the L'essentiel or RTL app for quick news, traffic and weather updates.
3. Listen to the public station 100,7 live for the country's political and cultural debates.
4. Read Paperjam if you follow the financial centre, property or companies based in Kirchberg.
5. Add Delano in English or Contacto in Portuguese to understand the concerns of foreign communities.
6. Check the date of articles on tax and remote-work rules for cross-border workers, which change with agreements.

Subscriptions and access to Luxembourg media

Useful facts on the Luxembourg press

• Languages: German, French, Luxembourgish, Portuguese and English
• No national agency: foreign agencies and the Information and Press Service are used
• Broadcasting: RTL Lëtzebuerg and public radio 100,7
• Leading daily: Luxemburger Wort; French-language: Le Quotidien
• Business: Paperjam; English: Delano
• Time zone: Central European Time
• Subscription currency: euro

Reading traps in Luxembourg

• Assuming that a German article and a French article from the same group give exactly the same information, when the newsrooms differ.
• Confusing RTL Lëtzebuerg, a Luxembourg outlet, with the RTL channels in France, Belgium or Germany.
• Applying a tax or remote-work rule for cross-border workers taken from an old article whose thresholds have since changed.
• Taking sponsored content published in a business magazine for an article written by the newsroom.

Common questions about Luxembourg media