No decision has yet been taken for the moment

After creating its free channel on DTT in 2005, Direct 8, Bolloré looks today on digital TV. The Group wishes to acquire one of the two frequencies left vacant by the judgment of AB1 and Canal J earlier this year. Its CEO, Vincent Bollore, has never hidden his desire to have another string on the free TNT but, until now, was not mobilized on pay television. "The priority is to have a free chain." "But, the group is interested in pay-TV alone or in partnership with other actors," said a close to the record. When contacted, the Bolloré group did not wish to make comments.

The breton businessman made the media one of its new priorities, with any car, going round tower in television with Direct8 and the free press with "Direct morning" and "Direct night". On the first nine months of the year, Bolloré media division and achieved a turnover of 80 million (including half in television and the other in free daily). But these activities continue to lose money dropped. In the first half, the operational losses thus reached 34 million.

France O priority

For its part, the operator Orange also seems to be interested in a frequency. Xavier Couture, the Director of the division contenus, is enthusiastic, Didier Lombard, CEO of the group, as Stéphane Richard, Deputy Director General responsible for the France operations, arise again the question. No decision has yet been taken for the moment. "It is an option." Having a pay channel would best enhance our content. "But this is likely to not to arrange our relationship with Canal ," explains in France Telecom. The operator may rely on some 800 points of sale Orange in France to promote DTT pay-TV offers which have never really took off as Canal never did a great promotion. There would be less than 350 000 subscribers to this paid bouquet. Despite these signs of interest, two frequencies could finally not be remitted to the pot. As the President of the Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, wishes that the string of overseas, France O, be available in 2010 on the free TNT at the national level. However, no frequency is free on the free TNT to date, with the exception of certain areas where no local television is broadcast. At the time, as the revealed the "satellifax" letter, the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel would choice to transform the two channels of AB1 pay-TV channels and Canal J in a single channel on the free TNT. Because the signal of a free chain is less compressed and therefore takes more space than the signal of a pay channel.

A second confidential option exists, but it is more complicated to implement. The higher Audiovisual Council, which launched a public consultation on the subject this summer, was taken by surprise by the presidential decision. Its conclusions on the future of the two pay DTT channels were to be made at the end of the month. But the decision of Nicolas Sarkozy has forced the CSA to revise its copy. The findings are more expected before the start of next year.