▁the ▁birth ▁of ▁the ▁group ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁Jean - L uc ▁Lag ard ère ▁was ▁appointed ▁Chief ▁Executive ▁Officer ▁of ▁Mat ra , ▁with ▁ 1 , 4 5 0 ▁employees . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁he ▁became ▁head ▁of ▁H ach ette . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁the ▁group ' s ▁first ▁over se as ▁ac quisition ▁was ▁of ▁Gro lier ▁Encyclop ed ias ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁after ▁a ▁major ▁year - long ▁rest ruct uring , ▁Mat ra ▁H ach ette ▁and ▁Lag ard ère ▁group ▁were ▁created . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Jean - L uc ▁Lag ard ère ▁turned ▁to ▁television , ▁and ▁became ▁head ▁of ▁La ▁Cin q , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁suffering ▁from ▁financial ▁problems ▁since ▁it ▁began ▁operations ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁The ▁network ' s ▁financial ▁problems ▁would ▁w ors en ▁after ▁Lag ard ère ▁took ▁control , ▁and ▁La ▁Cin q ▁ultimately ▁ceased ▁operations ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁( it ▁would ▁be ▁replaced ▁by ▁France ▁ 5 ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 4 ). ▁ ▁Ar na ud ▁Lag ard ère ▁and ▁the ▁group ' s ▁ref ocus ▁on ▁media ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁H ach ette ▁Liv re ▁launched ▁the ▁first ▁multimedia ▁en cyc lopedia , ▁A xis . ▁Also ▁in ▁ 1 9 9