M6 International to launch in Sub-Saharan Africa
July 3, 2019
From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris
M6 Group is planning to launch a service into French-speaking Africa – M6 International. The new channel will feature a line-up of content owned by M6, according to CEO Nicolas de Tavernost.
The group plans to develop this first international venture building on the international distribution expertise of Lagardère’s TV business it has acquired for €215 million. Following approval of the deal by the French Competition Authority, the final approval is to be given at the end of July by regulatory body CSA.
Lagardère Active had deployed both DTT and pay-TV kids channels Gulli and TiJi on the international market, and successively launched Gulli Africa, Gulli Bil Arabia in the Middle-East, Gulli Girl and TiJi Russia in Russia and CIS. They cover 85 countries and reach 65 million houses.
For the first time ever, M6 Group has invested €450 million in acquisitions to include radio station RTL France, and is now looking to transform itself into a multimedia group.
M6’s activities will be developed in four ways; TV production, radio, digital and TV broadcast.
With the acquisition of kids-focused channel Gulli, the group is strengthening its activities on the FTA market, now owning four free-DTT channels.