Le Canard enchaîné (The Chained Duck or The Chained Paper) is a satirical newspaper published weekly in France. Founded in 1915, it features investigative journalism and leaks from sources inside the French government, the French political world and the French business world, as well as many jokes and humorous cartoons.
The name is a reference to Clemenceau's newspaper L'homme libre ("The Free Man") which was forced to close by government censorship and reacted by changing its name to L'homme enchaîné ("The Chained-up Man"); Le Canard enchaîné means "The chained-up duck", but canard (duck) is also French slang for "newspaper". The title also conveys a double meaning, "canard" being a possible salicious rumour or whisper and "enchaîné" simply meaning linked, hence "the inside whisper".
The Canard has a fixed eight page layout. Pages 1, 2-4 and 8 are mostly news and editorials. Page 2 is anecdotes from the political and business world. Pages 5–7 are dedicated to social issues (such as the environment), profiles, general humour and satire, Cabu's "Beauf" comic strip, and literary, theater, opera and film criticism. One section, called l'Album de la Comtesse, is dedicated to spoonerisms.
The Canard is notable because of its focus on scandals in French governmental and business circles, although it does also cover other countries. Major French newspapers are traditionally reluctant to challenge government corruption or pursue embarrassing scandals ; hence, the Canard fills that gap.
The Canard publishes insider knowledge on politicians and leaks from administration officials, including information from whistle-blowers. Generally, the Canard is well informed about happenings within the world of French politics. Its revelations have sometimes brought about the resignation of cabinet ministers. President Charles de Gaulle was a frequent target; he was known to ask, "What does the bird have to say?"
It also publishes satirical cartoons and jokes. The Canard also reports on topics affecting the general population: scandals in industries (workforce, safety issues), miscarriages of justice, bad behavior of public administrations and services..