France’s CSA reveals FTA HD DTT channels
June 6, 2012
By Colin Mann
France’s Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA) has carried out a draw to select six new free-to-air channels in HD on one of the two DTT multiplexes allocated for the purpose (R7 and R8). The draw was held in the presence of representatives from the channels
The CSA had previously split these channels into two groups of three, taking into account the experience gained on the DTT platform by the groups with which the channels were associated.
The successful channels were HD1 (TF1), Cherie HD (NRJ Group) and Team HD (Amaury Group) on multiplex R7; 6b (M6), RMC Discovery (Next TV) and TVous la diversité were drawn for multiplex R8.
The six new channels will be launched December 12, 2012 with coverage of 25 per cent of the metropolitan population (Paris, Bordeaux, Marseilles, Bayonne, Auxerre Sens and Troyes). Their deployment, over 14 phases, will be completed in autumn 2014 with 97 per cent coverage of the metropolitan population, similar to other DTT multiplexes.