Louise Bernard with Alexis Patri 10:58 a.m., September 15, 2021
The merger project between the two TV groups TF1 and M6 will have to do with a French audiovisual rule: a group cannot own more than seven channels. However, they both have ten of them. TF1 and M6 would therefore have joined forces with other TV groups to sell certain channels, according to "Le Monde" and "Les Echos".
At least three chains must be sold.
The TF1 and M6 TV groups want to merge.
Problem: the two groups own ten channels.
But the law obliges a French TV group to own a maximum of seven channels.
TF1 and M6 have therefore started looking for potential candidates for the acquisition of several of their channels, in a very informal way for the moment.
According to
Le Monde
and
Les Echos
, four channels would be affected by its discussions between television groups.
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Paris Première also concerned
And these four channels likely to be sold are equally divided between the two groups: two on the side of TF1 and two on the side of M6.
For the first, it is TFX and TF1 Séries Films which could leave the group.
For the second, these are Gulli and 6Ter could be sold.
If necessary, the boss of M6 Nicolas de Tavernost, could also decide to return the frequency of TNT of Paris Première.
Le Monde
puts forward several names of people and groups approached: Patrick Drahi and his group Altice, Mediawan and Alain Weill.
The verdict of the competition authority on the proposed merger is expected at the end of 2022.