{{Short description|Weekly French news magazine}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox magazine |title = {{Lang|fr|Le Nouvel Obs}} |logo = frameless|class=skin-invert |image = |category = News magazine |frequency = Weekly |founded = {{start date and age|df=yes|1950|4|15}} |firstdate = |circulation = 212,729 (2020) |owners = |publisher = Groupe Nouvel Observateur |country = France |based = Paris |editor = Cécile Prieur |ISSN = 0029-4713 |website = {{Official URL}} | }} '''{{lang|fr|Le Nouvel Obs}}''' ({{IPA|fr|lə nuvɛl ɔps|lang}}), previously known as '''{{lang|fr|L'Obs}}''' (2014–2024), '''{{lang|fr|Le Nouvel Observateur}}''' (1964–2014), '''{{Lang|fr|France-Observateur}}''' (1954–1964), '''{{Lang|fr|L'Observateur aujourd'hui}}''' (1953–1954), and '''{{Lang|fr|L'Observateur politique, économique et littéraire}}''' (1950–1953), is a weekly French news magazine. Based in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris,<ref>"[http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/mentions-legales.php Mentions Légales du Nouvelobs.com]." L'Obs. Retrieved on 1 March 2016. "dont le siège est 10-12, place de la Bourse, 75002 PARIS"</ref> ''{{lang|fr|Le Nouvel Obs}}'' is one of the three most prominent French news magazines alongside ''Le Point'' and ''L'Express''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Baudriller |first=Marc |date=17 January 2014 |title=Franz-Olivier Giesbert quitte Le Point au bon moment |trans-title=Franz-Olivier Giesbert leaves Le Point at the right time |url=https://www.challenges.fr/media/franz-olivier-giesbert-quitte-le-point-au-bon-moment_163628 |url-status=live |language=fr |work=Challenges |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230623135757/https://www.challenges.fr/media/franz-olivier-giesbert-quitte-le-point-au-bon-moment_163628|archive-date=23 June 2023 |access-date=23 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hanne |first= Isabelle |date=1 March 2012 |title=Dans le secret de la face cachée des magazines |trans-title=In the secret of the hidden face of magazines |url=https://www.liberation.fr/ecrans/2012/03/01/dans-le-secret-de-la-face-cachee-des-magazines_951541/ |url-status=live |language=fr |newspaper=Libération |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230623133646/https://www.liberation.fr/ecrans/2012/03/01/dans-le-secret-de-la-face-cachee-des-magazines_951541/ |archive-date=23 June 2023 |access-date=23 June 2023}}</ref> Its current editor is Cécile Prieur.
==History and profile== The magazine was established in 1950 as ''{{Lang|fr|L'Observateur politique, économique et littéraire}}''. It became ''{{Lang|fr|L'Observateur aujourd'hui}}'' in 1953 and ''{{Lang|fr|France-Observateur}}'' in 1954. The name ''{{lang|fr|Le Nouvel Observateur}}'' was adopted in 1964.<ref name=ph>{{cite book|author=Philip Thody|author-link=Philip Thody|title=Le Franglais: Forbidden English, Forbidden American: Law, Politics and Language in Contemporary France: A Study in|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W56vAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA290|access-date=20 April 2015|date=1 December 2000|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-1-4411-7760-5|page=290}}</ref> The 1964 incarnation of the magazine was founded by Jean Daniel and Claude Perdriel.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Serge Berstein|author2=Jean-Pierre Rioux|title=The Pompidou Years, 1969-1974|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_GyhQAJeOZoC&pg=PA200|access-date=21 April 2015|date=13 March 2000|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-58061-8|page=200}}</ref>
thumb|280px|The head office is in the building to the left, 10–12 Place de la Bourse, Paris Since 1964, ''{{lang|fr|Le Nouvel Observateur}}'' has been published by Groupe Nouvel Observateur on a weekly basis<ref name=mor/><ref name=wmt/> and has covered political, business and economic news. It features extensive coverage of European, Middle Eastern and African political, commercial and cultural issues. Its strongest areas are political and literary matters, and it is noted for its in-depth treatment of the day's main issues. It has been described as "the French intellectuals' parish magazine", or more pejoratively as "the quasi-official organ of France's ''gauche caviar'' [caviar left]".<ref>{{cite news|url= http://select.nytimes.com/iht/2006/06/20/world/IHT-20politicus.html |title=Chirac's Potential Heirs Keeping Change Hidden|work=The New York Times|date=20 June 2006|access-date=12 September 2008|author=John Vinocur}}</ref> It is often referred to as ''{{lang|fr|Le Nouvel Obs}}'' for short.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Delcambre |first1=Alexis |title=Comment Le Nouvel Observateur entend se relancer |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/actualite-medias/article/2014/10/16/comment-le-nouvel-observateur-entend-se-relancer_4506959_3236.html |access-date=31 January 2024 |publisher=Le Monde |date=15 October 2014}}</ref>
Franz-Olivier Giesbert joined the ''{{lang|fr|Nouvel Observateur}}'' in 1971 as a journalist in the political department and then became a reporter. In 1985, Giesbert became the editorial director.<ref>{{cite news |date=26 October 2022 |title=Franz-Olivier Giesbert |url=https://www.lesoir.be/473543/article/2022-10-26/franz-olivier-giesbert |url-status=live |language=fr |newspaper=Le Soir |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230623153141/https://www.lesoir.be/473543/article/2022-10-26/franz-olivier-giesbert |archive-date=23 June 2023 |access-date=10 July 2023 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
Patrick Fiole and Christina Sourieau launched the magazine's internet site in 1999.
The magazine's new charter, adopted in June 2004 (on the 40th anniversary of its foundation), outlines the paper's principles: "The ''{{lang|fr|Nouvel Observateur}}'' is a cultural and political weekly whose orientation belongs within the general social-democratic movement. A tradition ever concerned with combining respect for freedom and the quest for social justice."
Alongside its editorial activities, the Nouvel Observateur group bought the online news site ''Rue89'' in December 2011, becoming its only shareholder.<ref>[http://votreargent.lexpress.fr/bourse-de-paris/hi-media-vend-ses-parts-dans-rue89-com_172779.html Hi-Media: vend ses parts dans Rue89.com] 22 December 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2014.</ref>
In January 2014, the owners of ''{{lang|fr|Le Monde}}'', Pierre Bergé, Xavier Niel, and Matthieu Pigasse, purchased a 65% stake in the magazine.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Remy |first=Jacqueline |date=24 October 2014 |title=La ruée vers l'Obs |trans-title=The rush towards the Obs |url=https://www.vanityfair.fr/pouvoir/politique/articles/la-ruee-vers-lobs/16225 |url-status=live |language=fr |magazine=Vanity Fair |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401222543/https://www.vanityfair.fr/pouvoir/politique/articles/la-ruee-vers-lobs/16225 |archive-date=1 April 2023 |access-date=20 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Schmitt |first=Fabienne |date=15 January 2014 |title='Nouvel Obs': les coulisses d'une vente |trans-title='Nouvel Obs': behind the scenes of a sale |url=https://www.lesechos.fr/2014/01/nouvel-obs-les-coulisses-dune-vente-288075 |url-status=live |language=fr |work=Les Echos |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401170229/https://www.lesechos.fr/2014/01/nouvel-obs-les-coulisses-dune-vente-288075 |archive-date=1 April 2023 |access-date=20 June 2023}}</ref> On 12 March 2014 the two co-directors of the press group, Laurent Joffrin and Nathalie Collin, resigned because the ''{{lang|fr|Nouvel Observateur}}'' was being sold to ''Le Monde''.<ref>[http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/medias/20140312.OBS9299/laurent-joffrin-et-nathalie-collin-quittent-le-directoire-du-nouvel-observateur.html Laurent Joffrin et Nathalie Collin quittent le directoire du ''Nouvel Observateur''] 12 March 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.</ref>
On 23 October 2014, the magazine was renamed ''L’Obs'' and its layout was changed to include in-depth reports on investigations, stories and discussions of ideas.<ref name=p14>{{cite web|title=Le Nouvel Observateur gets a new layout and a new name|url=http://www.publicitas.com/en/global/media-news-events/news-detail/?no_cache=1&rss=true&newsid=117110&title=France%3A-Le-Nouvel-Observateur-gets-a-new-layout-and-a-new-name#.VGiNSlesUX4|work=Publicitas|access-date=16 November 2014|date=20 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129032807/http://www.publicitas.com/en/global/media-news-events/news-detail/?no_cache=1&rss=true&newsid=117110&title=France%3A-Le-Nouvel-Observateur-gets-a-new-layout-and-a-new-name#.VGiNSlesUX4|archive-date=29 November 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Its current editorial board is headed by two of its co-founders, Jean Daniel and Claude Perdriel, two editors-in-chief, Laurent Joffrin and {{Interlanguage link|Serge Lafaurie|fr|vertical-align=sup}}, and the director general, Jacqueline Galvez. André Gorz and other journalists who had left ''L'Express'' helped to found the publication.
The holding company Le Monde Libre, the majority shareholder of Groupe Le Monde, owns 99% of the weekly ''Le Nouvel Obs''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Goy |first=Héloïse |last2=Patri |first2=Alexis |date=26 January 2022 |title='Le Monde': Xavier Niel rachète une grande partie des parts du quotidien |trans-title='Le Monde': Xavier Niel buys a large part of the daily's shares |url=https://www.europe1.fr/medias-tele/le-monde-xavier-niel-rachete-une-grande-partie-des-parts-du-quotidien-4090084 |url-status=live |language=fr |work=Europe 1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230913203857/https://www.europe1.fr/medias-tele/le-monde-xavier-niel-rachete-une-grande-partie-des-parts-du-quotidien-4090084 |archive-date=13 September 2023 |access-date=13 September 2023}}</ref>
On 21 March 2024, the magazine changed its name from {{lang|fr|L'Obs}} to {{lang|fr|Le Nouvel Obs}}.<ref>{{cite news|last=Prieur|first=Cécile|date=28 February 2024|url=https://www.nouvelobs.com/au-coeur-de-l-obs/20240228.OBS85036/renouveler-l-experience-du-magazine-en-mars-l-obs-devient-le-nouvel-obs.html|title= enouveler l’expérience du magazine : en mars, " l’Obs " devient… " le Nouvel Obs "|work=L'Obs|access-date=22 March 2024}}</ref>
==Related publications== ''{{lang|fr|Le Nouvel Observateur}}'' formerly published ''ParisObs'', a general information supplement focusing on Paris and the Île-de-France region, also published weekly.
''Challenges'' is an international business magazine published by ''{{lang|fr|Le Nouvel Observateur}}'' since 1982. Released every two weeks, it contains information on companies and their managers at the CEO level all around the world.
''TéleObs'' is a supplement containing articles about TV and cinema. It was published every two weeks until October 2014, when it began to be published weekly.<ref name=p14/>
In March 2012, ''{{lang|fr|Le Nouvel Observateur}}'' launched ''Obsession'', a monthly supplement focused on fashion.<ref>{{cite news |date=26 March 2012 |title=Le Nouvel Obs lance Obsession |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-eco/2012/03/26/97002-20120326FILWWW00450--le-nouvel-obs-lance-obsession.php |url-status=live |language=fr |work=Le Figaro |agency=Agence France-Presse |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620160110/https://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-eco/2012/03/26/97002-20120326FILWWW00450--le-nouvel-obs-lance-obsession.php |archive-date=20 June 2023 |access-date=20 June 2023}}</ref>
==Circulation== The circulation of ''{{lang|fr|Le Nouvel Observateur}}'' was 385,000 copies in 1981,<ref name=rk>{{cite book|author=Raymond Kuhn|title=The Media in France|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3t-KAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA68|access-date=15 November 2014|date=7 April 2006|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-98053-6|page=69}}</ref> 340,000 copies in 1987 and 370,000 copies in 1988.<ref name=rk/>
In 2001–2002, the magazine had a circulation of 471,000 copies.<ref name=mor>{{cite web|title=Top 50 Finance/Business/News magazines worldwide (by circulation) |url=http://www.magazine.org.tw/events/school/report/wmt/top50finance.pdf |publisher=Magazine Organization |access-date=13 December 2014 |format=Report |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213185512/http://www.magazine.org.tw/events/school/report/wmt/top50finance.pdf |archive-date=13 December 2014 }}</ref> In 2010, its circulation was 502,108 copies, making it the best-selling European news magazine.<ref name=wmt>{{cite web|title=World Magazine Trends 2010/2011 |url=http://www.revistas-ari.com/attachments/209_WMT_2010_2011_Europe.pdf |work=FIPP |access-date=31 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402165145/http://www.revistas-ari.com/attachments/209_WMT_2010_2011_Europe.pdf |archive-date= 2 April 2015}}</ref>
The magazine had a circulation of 526,732 copies during the first half of 2013<ref>{{cite web|title=List of represented titles. Magazines |url=http://www.publicitas.com/fileadmin/uploads/common/Promotions/2013-11_Rep_List_MAGAZINES.pdf |work=Publicitas International AG |access-date=29 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030071650/http://www.publicitas.com/fileadmin/uploads/common/Promotions/2013-11_Rep_List_MAGAZINES.pdf |archive-date=30 October 2014 }}</ref> and 460,780 copies in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Presse Magazine|url=http://www.ojd.com/Chiffres/La-Presse/La-Presse-Payante/Presse-Magazine|work=OJD|access-date=17 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319120727/http://www.ojd.com/Chiffres/La-Presse/La-Presse-Payante/Presse-Magazine|archive-date=19 March 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2014, ''{{lang|fr|L'Obs}}'' was one of the highest-circulated news magazines in France.<ref>{{cite news |last=Debouté |first=Alexandre |date=19 August 2014 |title=Les Français restent de fidèles acheteurs de magazines |trans-title=The French remain loyal magazine buyers |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/medias/2014/08/19/20004-20140819ARTFIG00015-les-francais-restent-de-fideles-acheteurs-de-magazines.php |url-status=live |language=fr |newspaper=Le Figaro |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230623140513/https://www.lefigaro.fr/medias/2014/08/19/20004-20140819ARTFIG00015-les-francais-restent-de-fideles-acheteurs-de-magazines.php |archive-date=23 June 2023 |access-date=23 June 2023}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" !Year !Circulation |- !2014 !479,641 |- !2015 !417,398 |- !2016 !373,873 |- !2017 !346,625 |- !2018 !262,498 |- !2019 !225,304 |- !2020 !212,729 |}
==See also== {{Portal|France|Journalism}} *''L'Express'' - conservative news magazine *''Le Point'' - conservative news magazine
==References== {{Reflist|33em}}
== External links == * {{Official website}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110226041051/http://m.nouvelobs.com/ Mobile version] * [http://www.presscouncils.org/library/France_Nouvel_obs.doc The ''Nouvel Observateur's'' 2004 Charter]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
{{Newspapers in France}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obs}} Category:1964 establishments in France Category:French-language magazines Category:News magazines published in France Category:Weekly magazines published in France Category:French news websites Category:Magazines established in 1964 Category:Magazines published in Paris