End of the puzzle for Roch-Olivier Maistre. Arcom, of which he is president (until the end of January when he will be replaced by Martin Adjari), revealed on Monday the new numbering retained by the authority's college for the TNT channels, which will enter in force from June 6. “These decisions were taken after consultation with each of the editors present on TNT, indicated Roch-Olivier Maistre during a briefing with the press. They shared with us their conclusions and their proposals. This new numbering was decided with the idea of ensuring, in the public interest, better readability of the DTT offer while limiting as much as possible changes in viewers' habits. To decide on this numbering, Arcom must respect a certain logic, in particular by constituting thematic blocks.
At the end, we still observe a disruptive effect. As planned, the continuous news channels were thus grouped into a single block: LCI (formerly channel 26) and Franceinfo (27), were brought together with BFM TV (15) and CNews (16). But these four channels have also gained a few numbers, since they will be placed between channels 13 and 16 as follows: BFM TV (on channel 13), CNews (14), LCI (15) and finally Franceinfo (16). Enough to ensure “fluid and comfortable way, simplified access to the information offer”, declared Roch-Olivier Maistre. In a press release, the BFM TV-RMC group was moved by the choice of Arcom, “a decision contrary to the public interest” and one «reconfiguration» Who “disadvantage” the antennas owned by billionaire Rodolphe Saadé. The group also says it is examining “the possible avenues of appeal on these decisions”.
If this new numbering had become necessary, it is also because of the arrival of new TNT channels, those of the CMI group of Daniel Kretinsky (also creditor of Liberation) and the Ouest-France group, which will start in September. After drawing lots between these two channels, they will arrive respectively on channels 18 (previously that of Gulli) and 19 (abandoned since the shutdown of the France Ô channel in 2020). The broadcast of CMI TV will begin on June 6, 2025. That of OFTV will start on September 1, 2025. The C8 and NRJ12 channels having been ejected from TNT (they will leave the television landscape on the evening of February 28), their channels have also been reallocated. Channel 8 will be allocated to LCP (the Parliamentary Channel and Public Senate), to be joined to Arte, two channels “whose programming can complement each other”, believes Roch-Olivier Maistre. Channel 12 was allocated to Gulli (formerly channel 18), to constitute a youth offering with TFX (channel 11).
Finally, the most surprising is the reallocation of the very popular channel n°4, let go by Canal + with the departure of the pay DTT of the group led by Maxime Saada. Arcom decided to allocate the channel to France 4 to form a block of public channels with France 2, France 3 (soon HERE) and France 5. The idea, with this decision, was also not to shake up the market advertising, by moving a public and advertising-free channel onto this very exposed channel, explained Roch-Olivier Maistre. “I welcome the historic decision of Arcom which ensures a renewal of the DTT landscape, while preserving the economic balance of the sector, declared Delphine Ernotte, the president of France Télévisions, in a press release. In a context of extremely worrying questioning of the responsibility of social networks, this decision strengthens our national media as a whole and particularly the place of France Télévisions in the daily lives of the French.”
The new numbering (in bold, the changes)
1 – TF1
2 – France 2
3 – France 3
4 – France 4
5 – France 5
6 – M6
7 – Art
8 – LCP/Public Senate
9 – W9
10 – TMC
11 – TFX
12 – Gold
13 – BFM TV
14 – CNews
15 – LCI
16 – Franceinfo
17 – CStar
18 – CMI TV
19 – OFTV
20 – TF1 Series Films
21 – The Channel L'Equipe
22 – 6Ter
23 – RMC Story
24 – RMC Discovery
25 – Sweetheart 25
