Robert Hersant (January 30, 1920 - April 21 1996) was a French newspaper magnate with right-wing political views.

Robert Hersant founded the rightist political party Jeune Front in 1940. He was sentenced in 1947 to 10 years of national indignity for collaboration with Nazi Germany. In 1952, however, he benefited from the general amnesty.

Meanwhile, in 1950, he started the Auto-Journal , which met success due to the increasing popularity of automobiles.

He gradually built his empire by buying local or regional newspapers through his holding company Socpresse (and its associate France-Antilles ).

In 1975, he purchased the great conservative newspaper le Figaro.

In 1987, he was involved in the launching of the La Cinq TV-channel.