France: Arcom postpones DTT frequencies call
September 22, 2025
From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris
French TV regulator Arcom has decided to postpone by two years the call for applications for the reallocation of four DTT frequencies vacated by the Canal+ Group.
The regulatory body won’t launch it before June 6th 2027, as studies suggest the market is unable to support new channels. The authority has also announced it is launching work aimed at further examining the economic model of DTT broadcasting with a long-term perspective and the possible methods of its modernisation.
“It is clear from the analysis carried out by the Authority and from most of the contributions from stakeholders that, in a context of erosion of TV consumption and a sluggish advertising market, the sector’s capacity to absorb the arrival of new viable services, without prejudice to existing services and their capacity to finance content, is limited,” suggestsed Arcom.
Between 2025 and 2030, the TV ad market in France is expected to experience an average decline estimated at -1.7 per cent per year.
“The authorisation of existing services in improved formats to strengthen the attractiveness of DTT remains associated with high costs and uncertain revenues,” noted the regulator.
One of the scenarios studied was using frequencies for services based on the 5G broadcast standard. But it also faces technical and economic constraints as this standard is still under industrial development with Towercast and TDF and not able to be deployed in the short term.
Meanwhile, Arcom has agreed to an amendment regarding the Disney+ service agreement in France following an agreement signed between Disney and the country’s professional cinema and audiovisual bodies earlier this year. The amendment allows Disney+ to offer movies to its subscribers nine months after their theatrical release in return for a contribution set at 25 per cent of its annual turnover generated in France – compared to 20 per cent for other SVoD services in the country. Over the next three years, it is anticipated that Disney+ will invest a minimum of €205 million into European and French expression production.
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