Following a new distribution agreement between TF1 and the Canal+ Group for its news channel, the French private broadcaster has decided LCI will remain a paid for service.
In the recent past, Nonce Paolini, CEO of TF1, has threatened to make La Chaine Information (LCI) free-to-air on the national DTT network, which would allow the broadcaster to reap €20 million in additional advertising income.
That way, LCI would compete directly with the country’s other two 24-hour news channels, Canal’s iTélé and NextRadioTV’s BFM news channel, which both broadcast FTA.
CanalSat is paying €5 million per year for the distribution of the LCI news channel to its subscribers.
