Shock decision. The applications of C8, the most sanctioned channel on French television, and NRJ12 were not selected by Arcom for the reallocation of TNT frequencies in 2025, according to a statement from the regulator published on Wednesday.
Conversely, the news channel CNews, regularly called to order by Arcom and owned, like C8, by the Canal + group, in the hands of the conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré, has been selected for a renewal of its frequency.
24 projects were in the running for 15 DTT frequencies
The channel projects proposed by the Ouest-France group and billionaire Daniel Kretinsky have both been pre-selected by Arcom for DTT frequencies in 2025, Arcom, the audiovisual regulator, announced in a press release on Wednesday.
The application of L’Express, which had presented a channel project, was also not accepted. In total, 24 projects were in the running for 15 DTT frequencies expiring in 2025.
Arcom based its decision in particular on “the interest of each project for the public with regard to the priority imperative of pluralism of socio-cultural currents of expression”, indicates its press release.
By removing C8, which has accumulated more than 7.6 million euros in fines due to the excesses of its star presenter Cyril Hanouna, the regulator is sending a strong signal to channel editors about the need to respect their obligations. The withdrawal of its frequency will not necessarily mean the total shutdown of C8, given the broadcasting possibilities offered by the Internet, boxes or connected TVs, while Cyril Hanouna could work on another channel or another media.
But DTT, launched in 2005 in mainland France, still largely structures the French audiovisual landscape and remains the only mode of television reception for nearly 20% of homes equipped with a set.