Geo

What Geo does

GEO is a French media brand founded in 1979, publishing a monthly magazine focused on long-form reportage, travel, environment, science, history, and geopolitics. The publication is owned and operated by Prisma Media, part of Louis Hachette Group, with editorial leadership based in Paris and a total headcount of 51-100 employees. The brand operates a multi-product portfolio including the core monthly GEO Magazine, bimonthly GEO Hors-série special editions, and bimonthly GEO Histoire, alongside the geo.fr digital platform which reaches approximately 4.1 million monthly unique visitors and 1.6 million combined social media followers.

The underlying technology stack is conventional publishing infrastructure: a content management platform powering geo.fr, a digital archive spanning 15 years for subscribers, and e-commerce capabilities for subscription management via boutique.geo.fr and the Prisma Connect platform. No proprietary technology platforms, AI capabilities, or developer-facing APIs are described as core differentiators. The brand does, however, build community engagement infrastructure through programs such as the Bourse GEO du Jeune Reporter fellowship (since 2019) and the L'Œil du climat photo contest (co-organized with Météo-France since 2019), and produces proprietary research such as the CSA Institute eco-engagement barometer (second edition 2025).

GEO's revenue model rests on four streams: recurring consumer magazine subscriptions across three tiers (Numérique €5.90/month, Standard €6.90/month, Intégral €9.90/month, all without commitment), one-time newsstand/kiosk sales, advertising on geo.fr and in print under a responsible advertising charter, and B2B professional subscriptions through Prismashop Pros targeting mediathèques, corporate libraries, and educational institutions. With 84,500 average monthly copies sold and CPPAP/IPG regulatory certifications, GEO occupies a premium niche in French documentary journalism rather than mass-market news.

Name

Geo

Legal name

Prisma Media

Website

https://geo.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

GEO is a French monthly magazine and digital media brand founded in 1979, publishing long-form reportage on travel, environment, science, history, and geopolitics for educated French consumers, operated by Prisma Media within Louis Hachette Group with subscription, newsstand, and advertising revenue streams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Magazine Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel & Outdoors Magazines (MPAJAEAH)

Keywords

• Magazine publishing
• Digital news media
• Photojournalism content
• Travel journalism
• Environmental reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: GEO generates primary revenue through consumer magazine subscriptions in three tiers: Numérique (digital-only), Standard (print + digital), and Intégral (print + digital + hors-séries). Subscriptions are recurring monthly with no commitment, providing predictable revenue.
2. Newsstand Sales: The magazine is sold at newsstands and kiosks across France, generating one-time purchase revenue from single-copy buyers.
3. Advertising Revenue: GEO generates advertising revenue through its digital platform geo.fr and print magazine. The publication has implemented a responsible advertising charter to ensure ethical advertising practices aligned with environmental values.
4. B2B Professional Subscriptions: Professional subscriptions through Prismashop Pros target businesses, mediathèques, and organizations with volume discounts and invoice-based billing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

GEO is a French media brand publishing monthly print and digital magazines focused on photojournalism, travel, environment, science, history, and geopolitics. The core product portfolio includes GEO Magazine (monthly), GEO Hors-série (bimonthly special editions), and GEO Histoire (bimonthly history publication), distributed through three subscription tiers (Numérique, Standard, Intégral) and a digital platform at geo.fr.

Product overview

GEO is a multi-platform media brand offering a portfolio of print and digital products centered on long-form journalism, world discovery, and environmental/geopolitical coverage. The core offering consists of GEO Magazine (monthly), GEO Hors-série (bimonthly special editions), and GEO Histoire (bimonthly history magazine), distributed both in print and digital formats. The digital presence includes GEO.fr website with approximately 4.1 million monthly visitors, supporting subscription access to web articles, digital archives spanning 15 years, and additional content reserved for subscribers. The brand also runs complementary programs including the annual L'Œil du climat photo competition (with Météo-France) and the Bourse GEO du Jeune Reporter fellowship for emerging journalists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GEO Hors-série: Bimonthly magazine offering in-depth exploration of various themes with exceptional photography and comprehensive content
• GEO Histoire

Products and services

• GEO Magazine Monthly premium magazine dedicated to long-form photojournalism, world discovery, and major contemporary issues. Features investigative journalism, on-the-ground reports, and recognized photographic portfolios covering society, territories, and contemporary world transformations. Distributed in print and digital formats with three subscription tiers (Numérique at €5.90/month, Standard at €6.90/month, Intégral at €9.90/month).
• GEO Hors-série Bimonthly special edition offering 360-degree coverage of specific themes with exceptional photography, field reports, and enriched content including historical, artistic, scientific, and contemporary perspectives. Delivered to subscribers of the Intégral tier.
• GEO Histoire Bimonthly publication focused on historical topics, providing in-depth exploration of past events, civilizations, and historical figures with journalistic rigor and visual storytelling.
• GEO.fr Digital Platform Online platform delivering news articles across categories including Géopolitique (Geopolitics), Voyage (Travel), Environnement (Environment), Science, Animaux (Animals), Histoire (History), and Aventure (Adventure). Features approximately 4.1 million unique monthly visitors and provides subscribers with access to web articles reserved for subscribers and 15 years of digital archives.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 1% for the PlanetminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2024Since October 2024, GEO partners with 1% for the Planet as media partner, providing free advertising space to amplify environmental philanthropy actions. The editorial team also participates in project selection committee.
• ChangeNOWminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2024Since March 2024, GEO serves as media partner for ChangeNOW's annual event, creating editorial content highlighting innovative environmental initiatives and committed actors. This partnership reflects shared ambitions for environmental awareness and action.
• Météo-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019GEO and Météo-France co-organize the L'Œil du climat photo contest, now in its 6th edition (2026). The competition focuses on 'Les extrêmes climatiques en France' and aims to raise awareness about climate change impacts on French flora, fauna, landscapes, and daily life. Winners receive photo publication in GEO magazine and prize vouchers.
• Prisma MediacoreOthersPrisma Media is the publisher of GEO magazine and geo.fr website. Part of Louis Hachette Group, Prisma Media is France's leader in magazine and online media publishing, reaching 2 out of 3 French people monthly through 50 brands.
• Louis Hachette GroupcoreOthersLouis Hachette Group is the ultimate parent company of Prisma Media. GEO operates as part of this major media group with over 40 years of presence accompanying French daily life.
• CSA InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGEO partnered with CSA Institute to create its eco-engagement barometer tracking French eco-citizen behaviors across 6 categories: lifestyle, digital, consumption, transport, tourism, and civic engagement. Second edition published in 2025.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sciences et Avenir: French monthly magazine dedicated to science and discovery topics — overlaps with GEO's science, environment, and history editorial pillars and competes for the same educated French reader.
• Ça m'intéresse: French monthly general-knowledge magazine covering science, nature, history, and society — directly competes with GEO for curious, knowledge-seeking French consumers in a similar subscription/print+digital model.
• National Geographic: The global reference brand in travel, science, and environmental photojournalism — directly comparable to GEO in format, editorial mission (discovery, environment, science), and premium monthly print + digital subscription model.
• La Recherche: French monthly science magazine — narrower in scope (pure science) but adjacent in audience and mission; competes for science-curious French readers and institutional library subscriptions.
• Geo (Germany): German sister edition of the Geo brand, published under Gruner + Jahr. Same brand DNA (travel, environment, science, photography), same monthly premium magazine + website structure — the closest functional analogue of GEO's operating model.
• Geo (Spain): Spanish edition of the Geo brand — same editorial pillars (travel, nature, science, photography) and magazine format, demonstrating the international playbook for the Geo franchise.

Broad incumbents

• Paris Match: Iconic French weekly news/lifestyle magazine owned by LVMH — much larger and broader scope, but overlaps with GEO's premium photojournalism positioning and competes for the same advertising and newsstand channels in France.
• Le Monde: Major French national newspaper with strong environment and geopolitics coverage. While a newspaper rather than a magazine, it competes with GEO for the same educated French readers on environmental and geopolitical topics, and for related digital advertising.
• Le Figaro Magazine: Weekly French news/culture magazine supplement of Le Figaro — broader news/lifestyle scope but with photo-driven storytelling that competes for the same premium French readership and advertising budgets.

Regional players

• Connaissance des Arts: French monthly magazine on arts, culture, and heritage — overlaps with GEO's culture, history, and Hors-série editorial territory and competes for culturally engaged French subscribers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/geofr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/geofrance
• Facebookfacebook.com/GEOmagFrance
• Instagraminstagram.com/geo_france
• TikToktiktok.com/@geofr_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/geo-magazine

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Geo