It's a small event in the world of French television. This Monday at 18:00 p.m., a newcomer is making her debut on TNT: NOVO19, launched by the group Sipa Ouest-France, the leading French-language press group. With the stated ambition of “giving a voice to the territories and become profitable within a few years, the channel hopes to stand out in a saturated and competitive television landscape. But this arrival already raises questions: between rerun schedules, talk shows and short news broadcasts, can NOVO19 really establish itself in the long term?
A “historic” launch for Ouest-France
For François-Xavier Lefranc, chairman of the board of Ouest-France, this launch represents a symbolic step. In an interview with AFP, he did not hesitate to describe this moment as"historical" for the newspaper, which has a daily circulation of nearly 600.000 copies. According to him, the investment was necessary: it commits the group to the world of television but also streaming, two areas in which Ouest-France must be present. “with quality content”.
The channel already stands out for its location: it is the only DTT channel to be based outside of Paris, with its headquarters in Rennes. This geographical choice is not insignificant and illustrates the group's desire to position itself as close as possible to regional realities.
A grid between Rennes news and Parisian talk show
The heart of the program is based on a double daily meeting on weekdays. At 18:10 p.m., viewers will discover a 15-minute newscast, live from Rennes and presented by Martin Cangelosi, former journalist for BFMTV and i-Télé. The presenter explains that he wants to offer a more "off-center", closer to viewers, and develop a "solutions journalism" far from the traditional formats of large chains.
At 18:25 p.m., the channel switches to Paris with a talk show hosted by Claire Arnoux, a former figure at BeIn Sports, surrounded by experienced columnists including Claude Askolovitch, who worked for France Inter. The idea is to combine current events, debates and analyses in an accessible format, while maintaining the promise of proximity to the public.
A media designed to represent the French
For Guénaëlle Troly, director of NOVO19 and conductor of this project after having led the launch of RMC Découverte, the leitmotif is clear: to represent the French in all their diversity. She points out that according to a recent study, 83% of citizens feel they are not represented in the media. NOVO19 aims to fill this gap by highlighting local voices, starting from the ground up to national news, rather than the other way around.
Céline Monsallier, editorial director, emphasizes this editorial choice. Heading a team of eight journalists, she explains that she wants give voice "to those we cannot see" and avoid conventional formats. According to her, the objective is to feel the news coming from the territories, as was the case with the yellow vest movement, and no longer to impose a Parisian reading of national news.
“Changing scale and vision”
Economically, NOVO19 is part of Ouest-France's video strategy. Fabrice Bakhouche, CEO of the Sipa Ouest-France group, believes that this new offering should help "change scale", "change division" and to increase video revenues by ten to fifteen times. Management expects to break even within three to four years and hopes to capture 2% of the strategic target audience of 25-49 year-olds.
Reheated food while waiting for original programs from 2026
While the first few months will rely on news broadcasts, talk shows and reruns to ensure continuity on air, three original formats have already been announced for 2026. The public will witness the return of TF1's cult show, Live my life, to the French adaptation of the British program Cash in the Attic, focused on the expertise of household objects, and a French version of the Belgian show Radio Gaga, where presenters set up a temporary radio studio in living spaces to give residents a voice.
A television context in recomposition
The launch of NOVO19 comes in an audiovisual landscape that is undergoing a complete restructuring, after the scandalous disappearance of C8 and NRJ12 at the start of 2025, not renewed by Arcom. The Ouest-France group had already taken a position on DTT with the launch of T18 last June, and confirms its ambition to become a major audiovisual player.
Like most channels, NOVO19 will use reruns to ensure a continuous 24/24 stream. François-Xavier Lefranc brushes off the criticism, stating that "all channels are rebroadcasting" and that a rebroadcast does not necessarily mean a drop in quality. Everyone is free to believe it...
NOVO19, a “territorial” channel under high surveillance
With this launch, Ouest-France is betting on a different kind of television, driven by a promise of proximity and an editorial line focused on local realities. But the challenge remains immense: attracting a volatile audience, developing a strong identity in the face of existing behemoths, and delivering on the promise of rapid profitability.
For Guénaëlle Troly and her team, the course is set: to build a television network that reflects the France of today, in all its diversity. It remains to be seen whether NOVO19 will be able to find its place in a highly competitive television universe...
