Following its July 29th call for bidders to operate nationwide HD channels on France’s DTT platform broadcast regulator the Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel has chosen 12 candidates who will broadcast their services in high definition after the generalisation of the MPEG-4 compression standard planned for April 2016.

Having taken into account the request from the government that priority be given to France 3, France 4, France 5, France Ô, and from the National Assembly and Senate for the Parliamentary Channel (LCP – AN and Public Sénat), but also the resource available and the priority established by law in favour of SD channels wishing to transition to HD, the CSA has selected the following twelve candidates (listed alphabetically).

Eleven HD channels have been available since December 12, 2012. From April 2016, this number will more than double to a range of 29 services with nationwide coverage , including all free national channels. These channels will be available to more than 95 per cent of the metropolitan population, subject to the availability of reception facilities compatible with the MPEG-4 standard and a DTT broadcasting network transmitter.

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