NRJ 12 once again contests its ouster from TNT before the Council of State

NRJ counterattacks, as he announced. The group owned by Jean-Paul Baudecroux has just filed an interim appeal and an appeal on the merits before the Council of State in order to contest the eviction of NRJ 12 from TNT. Last week, Arcom, the audiovisual regulator, confirmed the loss of frequency of the channel as well as that of C8, owned by the Canal group. “Unsuccessful candidates will be notified of reasoned rejections in the coming days”specified the independent authority, which emphasized having favored in particular the “diversity” of the audiovisual landscape.

NRJ 12 attacks not only the fact of having been ousted but also the refusal of Arcom to “allocate the frequencies freed up by the withdrawal of Canal+ pay channels», Explains the audiovisual group in a press release. He considers the decisions taken by Arcom “illegal”.

On the one hand, the regulator negotiated the agreements of the pre-selected channels this summer with a view to obtaining a TV frequency “in a framework not provided for by law, by allowing only these candidates to improve their file without leaving the same possibility to others“. On the other hand, NRJ considers that Arcom modified the scope of its call for applications during the procedure, “thus violating the fundamental principles of transparency and fairness between candidates».

Launched in February 2024, the call originally concerned the allocation of 15 DTT frequencies, free or paid. However, Arcom ultimately authorized only 11, and froze the frequencies following the withdrawal of Canal+’s pay DTT channels scheduled for June 2025. The regulator considered, last week, that this withdrawal did not in question “the number of services authorized to broadcast free of charge on DTT“. So, “the question of a new allocation of this resource may be re-examined at a later date».

NRJ does not share this opinion. He is preparing to fight again before the Council of State. Previous appeals from NRJ 12 and C8 against the preselection carried out in July by the regulator were rejected at the end of November. NRJ 12 nevertheless remain “fully mobilized» to assert their rights. And recalls that it brings together “each month 33.4 million viewers» and that she is “one of the only channels that still appeals to a young audience».