France: PSBs jump HD DTT queue
September 22, 2015
From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris
The French government has asked TV regulatory body CSA to pre-empt the award of four HD DTT channels to ensure a transition to HD for PSB broadcasters France 3, France 4, France 5 and France.
Among public channels, France 2 and Arte are the only ones already broadcast in HD.
On September 21, the CSA started its hearings for the first HD DTT projects among the 26 deemed admissible after its July call for projects.
The final selection will allow the chosen projects to broadcast in HD as of April 2016, once free DTT has switched to MPEG-4.
The CSA will first authorise existing channels, with scope for new services limited.