Free first with new French business channel B Smart

B Smart, the new French business channel backed by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretínský – recently in the news for his investment in German commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 ­– and ex-BFM Business journalist Stéphane Soumier, has struck an agreement for carriage of French service provider Free’s TV service.

B Smart, a channel dedicated to entrepreneurship, the economy and finance, will launch ahead of anywhere else on the Freebox platform.

Kretínský’s French company CMI France owns the service, which will take “a pro-business editorial line” that will be “inspirational [and] sympathetic in putting first the creation by businesses of economic, social and environmental value”, according to the channel’s backers.

CMI France is active in publishing, having acquired eight magazine titles from Lagardère – Elle, Version Femina, Télé 7 Jours, Télé 7 Jeux, Public, France dimanche, Ici Paris and Art et Décoration – and weekly Marianne.

B Smart will offer programming including a daily morning programme, Smart Up, featuring discussion with business leaders, a daily show about business technology, Smart Tech, a daily show featuring entrepreneurs presented by Soumier himself, Be Smart, and other shows dedicated to employment – Smart Job – and social responsibility – Smart Impact.

The channel is also offering ‘pre-play’ programming that is available on-demand ahead of its broadcast.

“More than ever, B Smart finds a raison d’être in the crucial mobilisation of all economic actors. It’s a time when every had to ask themselves what they can do for the country, and we will be the crucible of this energy,” said Soumier.