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TF1 has not yet said goodbye to its ambition to buy M6 to become a masotodon of the French audiovisual landscape.
MEDIA – A little taste of unfinished business for Europe’s leading channel. Remember in 2021 the gargantuan project for the PAF, consisting of TF1 merging with M6 to make it a “ French audiovisual champion ». A project ultimately aborted in September 2022, but for which TF1 has obviously not said its last word.
This is what its CEO Rodolphe Belmer suggests this Wednesday, January 8 in the columns of the newspaper The World. On the occasion of a review of the year 2024, the boss of the private audiovisual group leaves the door open to a resumption of discussions to buy the M6 group, its historic competitor which was not opposed to this marriage as sumptuous as it is strategic.
Two years after his arrival at the head of the TF1 group, Rodolphe Belmer ensures that “ the reasonings that prevailed » during the attempted takeover of the M6 group « are still, or even more, relevant “. Especially since the M6 group will be for sale again in three years.
At the time, the abandonment of this merger was explained by the too many concessions demanded by the Competition Authority to validate the project. The marriage did not present “no more industrial logic » even explained TF1, M6, Bouygues and RTL Group, in a joint press release from the four entities concerned by this merger.
What the boss of TF1 did not fail to point out in the event of a new attempt: “ The Competition Authority would still need to revise its doctrine on the relevant advertising markets to make such an operation possible. ».
Not just one simple catch-up platform »
With strong audiences in 2024, driven by the launch of the headline streaming platform (TF1+), France’s leading channel can boast of retaining its title for another year. “ With 18.7% audience share, TF1 was the most watched channel in 2024 », recalls The Worldwhile Rodolphe Belmer highlights the example of the audiences for the 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. news on TF1 and France 2.
« The 8 p.m. news is at its highest since 2020 (5.2 million viewers) and the gap with that of France 2 is just as historic (1.2 million on average). As for the 1 p.m., it achieves twice the score of that of France 2 » , he rejoices, before moving on to the very good scores of TF1+.
« With 33 million monthly viewers, who consume on average more than five hours per month, this is beyond our forecasts, TF1+ is establishing itself as a streaming platform, and no longer as a simple catch-up platform “. With 25,000 hours of programs available on the platform today, it is “ more than Disney+ and MyCanal “, also underlines Rodolphe Belmer, who is not one or two tackles short of the competition.
Proof of this is with Canal+, largely scratched by the head of the front page when the question of the announced withdrawal of DTT from the pay channels of the Vincent Bolloré group (Canal+ Cinéma, Canal+ Sport, Planète, etc.) was raised. A more or less direct consequence decided by the Canal group to react to the non-renewal of the C8 frequency on DTT. Concerning the withdrawal of these paid channels, he mentions a “ disappearance ” to the ” impact modest », « without wanting to be unpleasant with (one’s) competitors “. The boss sees it rather as an opportunity for TNT, now capable of “ modernize » with the « release of a multiplex (which) offers space for the broadcast of certain major channels in ultra high definition ».
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