France to annul bonus channels law

The French government is preparing a law that will formally withdraw the allocation of so-called bonus channels on the country’s digital-terrestrial platform to broadcasters TF1, M6 and Canal Plus.

The move comes after the European Commission judged the plan to award the channels illegal. French media regulator the CSA last month launched an appeal for candidates to launch six new channels on the digital-terrestrial platform in place of the award of the bonus channels.

The new law will annul provisions of the law on the future of TV passed in 2007. The broadcasters involved are likely to seek compensation, which CSA president Michel Boyon (pictured) has said should be limited to investments already made in the new channels. The bonus channel scheme had been envisaged as a way to compensate the broadcasters for their investment in digitisation.