Altice France looking to expand local TV network with Grand Lille TV stake

Altice France has entered into exclusive talks to take an indirect stake in local TV channel provider Grand Lille TV, which operates three channels in the Lille region.

Altice has asked media regulator the CSA for authorisation to rebrand the three channels – Grand Lille TV, Grand Littoral TV et Grand Lille Info– as BFM Grand Lille and BFM Grand Littoral, following the style of its flagship BFM TV news channel.

The move would be the second acquisition of a local TV channel by the media and telecom group, following its acquisition of Lyon broadcaster Télé Lyon Métropole (TLM)at the start of the year. This channel will relaunch as BFM Lyon Métropole in September.

Altice plans to build a network of local channels on the model of BFM Paris, the Paris region channel it launched in 2016.

Altice Franc named Emmanuel Roye to head up local TV initiatives in France as deputy director in charge of BFM Regions at the end of last year. Roye was previously deputy director of NRJ Group and chief executive of Lagardére Métropoles.

Altice has recently been in dispute with French service providers over the carriage terms for BFM TV and two other national channels, RMC Découverte and Diversité TV. The CSA recently ruled in favour of service provider Free’s assertion of its right to refuse to carry the channels and associated services rather than pay the carriage fee demanded by Altice.