High hopesThis decision of the APF is important

The decision is a priori very technical, but it will be serious consequences. The Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA) accessed yesterday requests for chains NRJ12 and BFMTV to be present on the numbers 12 and 15 of the bouquet CanalSat, or channel that they occupy on the TNT and offers of ADSL television operators. Considering himself suffered discrimination on the part of the operator of television by satellite with, respectively, numbers 37 and 54, the two chains required on 12 and 15 since their launch (in March 2005 for NRJ12) and in December 2005 for BFMTV. Canal refused however to access their applications, which prompted these two strings to the CSA in a settlement of dispute.

In plenary, the nine members of the CSA have followed the recommendations of the rapporteur of the record and considered that the practices of Canal were indeed discriminatory. The authority has therefore "directs the Canal Distribution company to establish a plan of services supply CanalSat placing NRJ12 and BFMTV services on 12 and 15 numbers". The CSA asked CanalSat to disclose its new service plan within two months and implement it within four months.

"E J am mad with joy." "The CSA honors of this historic and courageous decision, because it serves the general interest," said Jean-Paul Baudecroux, the President of the NRJ group "voices". "The number 12 was integrated into our brand, so it had no sense of being at number 37 on CanalSat or 39 on Numericable."

Canal , which did not have the same interpretation of the Act of March 5, 2009 and rejected the idea of logical numbering, announced his intention to appeal (see below). The group defended indeed the principle of grouping the strings by thematic blocks. An approach that has not satisfied the Constable audiovisual. On the other hand, Canal could count on the support of the pay-TV thematic channels grouped in access, who believe that the decision of the APF less favourable to DTT channels.

High hopes

This decision of the APF is important. First because it involves the 5.3 million subscribers of CanalSat, and soon, the 3.5 million subscribers in Numericable, insofar as this decision will make the case. NRJ12 and BFMTV should therefore, term, benefit from a better exposure to 8.8 million homes in France. "Mechanically, our audience should rise by 10 to 20 ", said Jean-Paul Baudecroux. While the economic equilibrium of the strings in the TNT is still fragile, a better hearing could enable them to generate more advertising resources, and therefore to more quickly reach a standstill. NRJ12, who will be 40 million euros of revenues this year, hopes to be the balance in the middle of next year.

This decision of the CSA will also apply to two other directly concerned free DTT channels: Direct8, the GP of Bolloré and Virgin17, the Lagardère Group. In the end, this decision of the CSA gives the opportunity to all broadcast channels of DTT, TF1 to Gulli via TMC and W9 to be on the same channel regardless of their mode of dissemination, the wireless, cable, satellite or DSL. A settlement of dispute which, according to NRJ, "completes the launch of the TNT", there are more than five years.