The authorizations granted to these two channels, which their shareholders considered marrying for a time before abandoning their project in mid-September, expire in early May 2023.
The French media regulator, Arcom (ex-CSA) launched its call for applications on Wednesday 7 December with a view to the allocation of the two digital terrestrial television (DTT) frequencies currently occupied by TF1 and M6, already on the ranks.
The authorizations granted to these two channels, which their shareholders considered marrying for a time before abandoning their project in mid-September, expire in early May 2023. Contacted Wednesday evening by AFP, the TF1 and M6 groups indicated that they would be candidates for the renewal of their respective authorisations.
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Xavier Niel might be interested
According to press information, the billionaire Xavier Niel (Iliad group) could be interested in one of the frequencies. After the failure of the TF1/M6 merger, he made an offer to buy out the M6 group by teaming up for the occasion with the Berlusconi family (MediaForEurope group). The German giant Bertelsmann had finally chosen to keep M6 in its fold.
In a press release, Arcom specified that it was inviting for the first time “the candidates to make commitments in favor of the major societal challenges which are education in the media, information and digital citizenship on the one hand, the protection of the environment and the fight against climate change, d ‘somewhere else“. Complete application files must be submitted no later than January 23 at noon, said the Authority.