Le Nouvel Observateur

Le Nouvel Observateur (often shortened to Le Nouvel Obs ) is a weekly French newsmagazine. Based in Paris, it is the most prominent French general information magazine in terms of audience and circulation (currently at 538,200).

Since 1964, it 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 is noted for its in-depth treatment of the main issues of the day. It has been described as "the French intellectuals' parish magazine", or more pejoratively as "quasi-official organ of France's 'gauche caviar'".

The magazine's new charter, adopted in June 2004 (on the 40th anniversary of its founding), described the paper's principles:

...The 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.

Its current editorial board is presided over by two of its co-founders, Jean Daniel and Claude Perdriel, two editors-in-chief, Laurent Joffrin and Serge Lafaurie, as well as director general, Jacqueline Galvez. André Gorz and other journalists who had left L'Express helped found the publication.

The newspaper's internet site, (http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/), was launched by Patrick Fiole and Christina Sourieau in 1999. The site is moderated by the Netino service (http://netino.com/).