It can also be seen over-the-air in some bordering markets in the provinces of Ontario and New Brunswick, and in some other parts of Canada on cable television or direct broadcast satellite.

In 1968, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) first expressed interest in the establishment of a third French-language commercial television service in the province of Quebec to compete with Télévision de Radio-Canada and the loose association of independent stations that eventually became TVA.

[4] Télé Inter-Cité found itself unable to launch the network due to materials shortages and delays in equipment delivery; the CRTC granted a time extension to 1976.

On September 6 of that year, the CRTC approved the application of the Pouliot family and its company, Réseau de Télévision Quatre-Saisons Inc., noting its existing facilities in Montreal and more realistic revenue projections compared to Cogeco.

The CRTC initially denied the Quebec City bid on grounds of insufficient local advertising revenue;[9] it was, however, allowed to set up a full-time rebroadcaster of the Montreal station there.

[14] On March 10, 2008, the Quebec Superior Court approved the sale of TQS to Remstar Corporation, a Montreal-based television and film producer and distributor.

[17][18] Remstar announced on April 23, 2008, that 270 jobs would be cut at TQS, while the information services division would be abolished entirely — thus eliminating all newscasts from the network starting in September 2008.

[20] At the network's fall upfronts presentation for 2009, the network announced a repositioning plan, including a shedding of the TQS moniker and its black sheep logo in favour of the name "V", complete with a black-and-gold circle logo with a stylized letter V. The V name reflected the channel's new mission of "vedettes" (stars), "vitesse" (speed), "voyages" (trips), and "vice ou vérité" (vices or truths).

[24] Bell proposed the addition of expanded in-house news programming, and will also provide advertising and master control services for Elle Fictions and Max.

From the network's launch to its 2008 restructuring, the nightly Le Grand Journal formed the core of Noovo's news programming when it was named TQS.

The newscast would become a factor on the ratings when popular anchor and political commentator Jean-Luc Mongrain was hired as lead presenter in 1999, and the show adopted a harded-edge, tabloid and more aggressive approach, with a mix of hard news, commentary and heavy viewer interaction;[28] the move coincided with TQS moving all of its daily programming to a street-front studio at Quebecor's headquarters.

The 10 p.m. edition, presented by Denis Lévesque, became increasingly known for its aggressive and often confrontative debates on hot topics, leading to it regularly beating Le Téléjournal on the ratings.

Even after suffering three different host transitions and numerous format changes to make it look closer to its rival, the show would be ultimately unsuccessful and eventually cancelled in 2015.

[37] Le Fil would have a more informal and personality-based style in comparison to its competitors, with a focus on long-form and human interest stories, analysis and commentary, as well as viewer interaction on social media.

[41] The appointment of Bergeron led to the broadcast increasingly taking on a more conventional format, with more live reports and breaking news coverage; additionally, Michel Bherer began presenting a debate and analysis program, Les débatteurs de Noovo, after the late edition of Le Fil, which launched on September 12.

[50][51][52] The network is known to many viewers for Bleu Nuit, a showcase of softcore pornography which formerly broadcast late Saturday nights, similar to The Baby Blue Movie that once aired on Toronto's Citytv.

The network's prime time schedule currently consists predominantly of reality and non-fiction programming, scheduled around Julie Snyder's nightly talk show La Semaine des 4 Julie (The Week of the 4 Julies) at 9 p.m. Scripted entertainment programming currently consists primarily of dubbed versions of English Canadian or American comedy or drama series, rather than original francophone comedy or drama; however, a few Quebec-produced comedy or drama series are also broadcast, including Pour toujours, plus un jour (Forever, Not Another Day), Mon ex à moi (My Ex), Entre deux draps (Pillow Talk) and Max et Livia (Max and Livia).

Unlike O&O stations, non-owned affiliates of the network, such as CFGS-DT in Gatineau/Ottawa, CJPC-DT in Rimouski, CFTF-DT in Rivière-du-Loup and CFVS-DT in Val-d'Or/Rouyn-Noranda, continue to broadcast local programming.

Consequently, the network is not widely available outside Quebec, although some communities in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia receive Noovo affiliates on cable.

CFGS-DT in Gatineau is part of the Ottawa television market, and is carried in both analogue and digital on cable systems in nearly all of Eastern Ontario.

Rogers Cable systems in Central and Southwestern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area, offer CFGS on their digital tier.

[50] Notes: Beginning in 1997, TQS branded itself as le mouton noir de la télé (English: the black sheep of television), a slogan that could have served as the network's acknowledgment (or perhaps a badge of pride) that its history of financial difficulties, edgy programming, and limited availability outside Quebec had not always given it a prestigious place in the TV industry or in the eyes of the viewing public.