M6 seeking free DTT berth for Paris Première

French commercial broadcaster M6 wants to launch its pay TV channel Paris Première as a free-to-air service on the country’s digital-terrestrial platform.

The move by M6 follows the acquisition by pay TV provider Canal Plus of Bolloré-owned channels Direct 8 and Direct Star with the aim of expanding its presence in the free-to-air market. M6 believes that a move to free-to-air for Paris Première would enable it to expand its audience and justify a wider investment in programming on the channel.

Rival TF1 has also demanded that its information channel, LCI, be given permission to migrate to free-to-air following a decision by Canal Plus no longer to pay for exclusive carriage.