Ouest-France: TV Diversification Strategy
- Ouest-France, a leading French-language daily newspaper with three major digital platforms boasting over 30 million monthly pageviews, is venturing into television.
- The company, which employs 4,200 people, including 1,200 journalists, collaborates with 4,000 local correspondents.
- According to Bakhouche, CPM rates on TF1’s streaming platform are substantially higher than ouest-France’s digital platforms, with the platform experiencing substantial annual growth.
Ouest-France boldly enters the television arena, aiming too capture new audiences and solidify its market position. Fabrice Bakhouche, CEO of SIPA-Ouest-France, unveiled this strategic pivot at the World News Media Congress, emphasizing the critical role of video content in today’s media landscape. This move is fueled by the need to retain readership and attract video-first consumers, utilizing AI for automation and efficiency. Strategic partnerships with TF1 and France Télévisions are pivotal, enhancing monetization and content production. The focus remains firmly on leveraging local expertise—a core strength—alongside collaborations with tech companies, to expand reach and diversify revenue. The company’s commitment to adapting to new media consumption habits underscores a future-focused strategy. If you’re looking for insights, News Directory 3 has details on similar shifts. Discover what’s next for this pioneering French media outlet.
Ouest-France Eyes TV to Boost Visibility and Subscriptions
Ouest-France, a leading French-language daily newspaper with three major digital platforms boasting over 30 million monthly pageviews, is venturing into television. Fabrice Bakhouche, CEO of SIPA-Ouest-France, announced the move at the world News Media Congress in Krakow, citing the growing importance of video content. The goal is to retain current readers and attract new audiences accustomed to video consumption.
The company, which employs 4,200 people, including 1,200 journalists, collaborates with 4,000 local correspondents. This local expertise will be central to the new TV channel’s content strategy. To mitigate risks, Ouest-France is forming strategic partnerships.A collaboration with TF1 Publicité,the advertising arm of TF1 Group,will handle monetization. Bakhouche noted TF1’s expertise in advertising and revenue generation on both traditional television and streaming platforms.
According to Bakhouche, CPM rates on TF1’s streaming platform are substantially higher than ouest-France’s digital platforms, with the platform experiencing substantial annual growth. This partnership is expected to boost revenue and national visibility, potentially leading to new subscriptions through bundled offers of digital access and exclusive TV content. The TV channel will be ad-based,not a pay-TV service.
Ouest-France is also working with France Télévisions and Together Media to produce talk shows, leveraging their experience in creating successful programs. the company plans to incorporate artificial intelligence to automate processes and improve video editing efficiency. This agility, Bakhouche said, provides a competitive advantage.
Ouest-france aims to leverage its local expertise and collaborate with tech companies and AI-powered search engines to provide exclusive content. The company believes these partnerships can definitely help it expand beyond its traditional stronghold and reach a broader audience, diversifying revenue streams and capitalizing on the increasing demand for video content.This strategic shift highlights the importance of adapting to evolving media consumption habits to maintain a strong market presence and attract new subscribers.
“Video is the future for our legacy media. We have to adapt to this new format to retain our audience and attract new readers who are more used to watching videos rather than reading articles,” Bakhouche said.
What’s next
ouest-France will continue to explore partnerships and AI integration to refine its video content strategy and expand its reach in the competitive media landscape. The company’s focus on local news and community engagement will remain a core element of its overall strategy.