Xavier Niel will challenge “the sleeping beauty”. Less than three hours after Arcom (ex-CSA) declared its candidacy for a DTT frequency admissible, Monday, January 23, the founder of Iliad (and individual shareholder of the World) prowled his first punchlines in the duel which now opposes him to the chairman of the management board of M6, Nicolas de Tavernost. Coming to the vows ceremony organized by the Autorité at the Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac Museum, the two men willingly hugged each other in front of the journalists, savoring the salt of the situation which brought them face to face on the very day when their competition became head-on. Their showdown has indeed begun.
Does Xavier Niel believe in his chances, supported by the NJJ Project 5523 subsidiary, of obtaining a broadcasting license on the channel occupied for thirty-six years by M6? “M6 has its chance, but we come to win”replied the businessman with a smile, continuing on one of his angles of attack: “M6 is the most profitable channel in Europe, which means that it does not invest enough in programmes. »
Nicolas de Tavernost, who said he was more concerned about the rivalry of platforms than that of Xavier Niel, knows the argument by heart. Thanks to an agreement signed by several players in the sector but still unofficial, M6 is preparing to respond by increasing the percentage of turnover it devotes to heritage works from 10.5% to 11.5%.
Within this obligation, it should commit to independent creative documentaries, as TF1 has just done – the only candidate for the renewal of its authorization – but with a percentage twice as large. Furthermore, while the Arcom “will appreciate every application” in terms of “its contribution to the pluralism of information” (among other criteria), M6 could give pledges in this area, its current agreement being devoid of any obligation.
French information and fiction
Dubbed “SIX” and developed by the vice-president of Iliad and former TF1 Maxime Lombardini, Xavier Niel’s project should also focus on information, promising for example to guarantee the independence of the editorial staff. The distribution of French fiction could also be significantly higher than it is, as well as the use of independent production – M6 preferring to internalize the production of its programs as much as it is allowed.
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