The visual record of Louis XIV’s reign is rich in images of events. Some were created by the Bâtiments du Roi, the division of the French state responsible for artistic production; others were made by Parisian print publishers. Artists employed by the Bâtiments worked slowly – regardless of the medium, their images typically appeared with a long lag, sometimes years after the event depicted. Prints made for the market by Parisian publishers were timelier, but unlike in neighboring countries, and despite evident demand, few news prints were made in France in these years. Instead, the principal format for depictions of events was the almanac print. Almanacs were sold late in one year for display throughout the next. I argue that print publishers collectively chose not to portray events when they were in the news, waiting instead until the end-of-year almanac season to publish their depictions. By not saturating the market with news images throughout the year, they ensured strong almanac sales every December. While almanacs were important vectors of royal propaganda, it was a private business strategy, rather than state control, that drove their prominence.