Altice Media to buy free-to-air channel TFX if M6, TF1 merger gets green light

French commercial broadcaster TF1 has given Altice Media the go-ahead to buy its free-to-air channel TFX, should TF1’s merger with M6 go through.

Gilles Pélisson

While the boards for both companies have agreed on the potential purchase, it is subject to L’Autorité française de la concurrence (the French Competition Authority) and other local authorities approving the sale. Until the relevant bodies have reached a decision, TFX will remain under the full control of the TF1 group, which is led by CEO Gilles Pélisson.

The potential merger, which would create a French network giant designed to rival international competitors such as Netflix, has already shaken up the local broadcasting landscape. Pubcaster France Télévisions has confirmed it will sell its 33.33% stake in streamer Salto, also owned by M6 and TF1, if the merger is approved.

It is still unclear when and if the merger will happen, with a second in-depth competition investigation by L’Autorité française de la concurrence currently underway. The aim of the probe is to “gather the views of operators in the main sectors concerned by the transaction,” with the results expected to be published in autumn.

TFX was created in 2007 as part of the roll-out of DTT in France. It was originally called NT1 and was owned by AB Groupe. It was renamed when TF1 Group bought the channel in 2010 and given an editorial makeover in 2018, becoming an entertainment net aimed at young women.

In 2021, the channel attracted an average of 39.9 million viewers a month and ranked as France’s third most popular DTT channel among women under 50, with a 3.4% audience share.