French private broadcaster TF1 and newspaper publisher Le Figaro are both planning the launch of a digital news channel.
According to French newspaper reports, Le Figaro will be launching a digital news channel, live from studios in its editorial offices, in close cooperation with the editorial team of the newspaper’s website, according to managing director Marc Feuillée.
Meanwhile, French private broadcaster TF1 is also planning a new digital news venture, which will bring together the editorial teams of its news teams from news channel LCI, Metronews and MyTF1News.
The broadcaster already operates the 24/7 news channel LCI, but this is only available as a paid-for channel on the country’s DTT network TNT. TF1 tried to turn LCI into a free to air channel, but the media regulator CSA has declined such a move for the current premium channels LCI, Paris Première and Planète+.
French public broadcaster France Televisions also has a dedicated news channel in the works.
The proposed news channels would compete with the news channels from private broadcasters BFM and BFM Business from NextRadioGroup, Euronews from Lyon and i-Télé from the Canal+ group. The French government also sponsors the international news channel France24.
