France’s TF1 has suffered a major setback in its future plans – including a possible closure – of news and information-based channel LCI.
Le Figaro reports that the Council of State (Conseil d’État) has rejected a request by the broadcaster to suspend a decision by the regulator CSA refusing LCI to be transformed from a pay into a free DTT service.
Furthermore, the Council has asked TF1 not to touch LCI before it decides on its merits, which will be in the first few months of 2015.
This means that TF1 will not be able to carry out its threatened closure of LCI at the end if this year.
At the same time, it will have to try to extend distribution contracts for LCI on services operated by Canal+ and telcos, at least until the Council of State reaches its decision.
TF1 will also have to reconsider the offers it has received for LCI from, amongst others, Le Figaro.
