Groupe M6

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Metropole Télévision SA
Company typePublic
Euronext ParisMMT
CAC Mid 60 Component
IndustryMedia
Founded1 March 1987; 37 years ago (1987-03-01)
Headquarters,
France
Key people
Nicolas De Tavernost (ex CEO)
Products
Revenue1,315,600,000 Euro (2023) Edit this on Wikidata
237,100,000 Euro (2023) Edit this on Wikidata
Owners
Websitewww.groupem6.fr Edit this at Wikidata

Metropole Télévision SA, commonly known as Groupe M6 (English: M6 Group), is a French media holding company. It was formed around the commercial television channel M6, launched in March 1987 by the CLT (RTL Télévision) and La Lyonnaise des Eaux.[1][2][3]

In addition to its audiovisual and digital media presence, some of the group's television channels are operated (including M6, W9, 6ter, Paris Première, Téva, Série Club) as well as the television channels of the Lagardères (Gulli, Canal J, TiJi, MCM, MCM Top and RFM TV), radio stations (RTL, RTL2 and Fun Radio), and film and television production and distribution companies. The company has also been presenting information and services on the Internet, including online video and computer companies. Since 1999, the group has also diversified into publishing, music and show production, distance selling, and sport with the Football Club of the Girondins de Bordeaux.

In May 2021, Groupe M6 and TF1 Group announced that they had begun negotiations for a proposed merger.[4][5] On 16 September 2022, the merger was officially abandoned.[6] On 22 September 2022, Thomas Rabe, CEO of RTL Group's parent company, Bertelsmann confirmed that Groupe M6 was up for sale, after the failed merger with TF1 Group.[7] On 3 October 2022, RTL Group confirmed that they would not be selling their stake in Groupe M6.[8]

Assets

Television

Channel Description Stake Launched Acquired
M6 Broadcast network 100% 1 March 1987 (replaced TV6)
W9 Youth entertainment and musical digital channel launched for DTT 31 March 2005
6ter Generalist family digital channel launched for DTT 12 December 2012
Paris Première Generalist and cultural interest Pay-TV channel
Available on Pay-DTT, with FTA programs
15 December 1986 6 May 2004
Téva Pay-TV channel targeting a female audience 6 October 1996 2007
M6 Music Musical Pay-TV channel 5 March 1998
Série Club Pay-TV channel dedicated to TV series 50% Groupe TF1, 50% Groupe M6 8 March 1993
MCM Pay-TV youth entertainment and music channel 100% (via Groupe MCM) 1 July 1989 2 September 2019
MCM Top Pay-TV music channel
Distributed in Portugal and Brazil
28 November 2003
RFM TV Pay-TV music channel
Available in Portugal as MCM Pop
Available in Brazil
3 April 2001
Gulli Children and family channel launched for DTT 100% (via Jeunesse TV) 18 November 2005
Tiji Pay-TV channel for children under seven 15 December 2000
Canal J Pay-TV channel for children over seven 23 December 1985
M6 Suisse Swiss subfeed, available in free-to-air on satellite 100% (advertising window operated by Goldbach Media) 2 October 2001
W9 Suisse 2 August 2011
6ter Suisse 2014

International

Channel Description Stake Launched Acquired
M6 International International version of M6, outside Europe 100% 2019
Gulli Girl Russian children channel 2009 2 September 2019
Tiji Russie Russian preschool channel
Telekanal Deda Moroza Russian children channel, available every year for the Christmas and holiday season 1 December 2013
Gulli Africa Children channel for the African market 23 March 2015
Gulli Bil-Arabi International Arab-language children channel 28 June 2017
Gulli Brasil Portuguese-language children channel in Brazil and Africa 9 August 2020

Former channels

All these channels used to be on Pay-TV.

Channel Description Stake Launched Ceased Acquired
Fun TV Music channel 100% 22 February 1997 31 December 2008
M6 Music Black Music channel 10 January 2005 4 January 2015
M6 Music Club Music channel 20 January 2009 4 January 2015
M6 Music Rock Music channel 10 January 2005 20 January 2009
M6 Boutique TV shopping channel 100% (via Home Shopping Service) 19 May 1998 1 July 2020
Best of Shopping TV shopping channel 1 October 2003 1 July 2020
Girondins TV Channel dedicated to FC Girondins de Bordeaux 100% (via FC des Girondins de Bordeaux) 14 August 2008 30 October 2018
TF6 Generalist family channel 50% Groupe TF1, 50% Groupe M6 18 December 2000 31 December 2014
La Chaîne du père Noël Pay-TV children channel, available every year for the Christmas and holiday season 100% (via Jeunesse TV) 5 November 2011 7 January 2024 2 September 2019

Radio

The Groupe M6 acquired RTL France on 1 October 2017, from its main shareholder RTL Group.

Radio Description Stake Launched Acquired
RTL Generalist 100% 15 March 1933 1 October 2017
RTL2 Pop-rock music 6 January 1992
Fun Radio Youth-oriented and dance music 2 October 1985

Video platforms

On 19 March 2008, M6 launched its first catchup service, M6 Replay. On 4 November 2013, M6 Replay, W9 Replay and 6ter Replay were merged into 6play. Since late 2017, RTL radios joined 6play.

Service Description Stake Launched Acquired
M6+ Catchup, live TV, radio and video on demand
Available in Belgium and Croatia as RTL Play, and in Hungary as RTL+
100% (via M6 Web) 4 November 2013

Film

  • M6 Films, film co-production
  • M6 Studio, film production
  • Société Nouvelle de Cinématographie (SNC), film catalog
  • SND, formerly known as Société Nouvelle de Distribution or SND Films, film distribution and production
  • M6 Vidéo, home video distribution division
  • Studio 89 Productions, formerly known as W9 Productions, television production
  • C. Productions, television news production
  • Golden Network, digital content

References

  1. ^ "20 ans de cotation de M6 sur la place parisienne". Euronext. 24 September 2014.
  2. ^ "M6 en quête de nouvelles recettes". Le Monde. 22 November 2013.
  3. ^ "M6 souffle ses 25 bougies". Terrafemina. 1 March 2012.
  4. ^ "France's TF1 & M6 Enter Exclusive Merger Negotiations to Create $4B Media Giant". 18 May 2021.
  5. ^ Broughton, Mathew (20 May 2021). "TF1 & M6 Propose Merger; Vungle Acquires TreSensa". ExchangeWire. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Proposed merger between TF1 and M6 group abandoned, companies say". Reuters. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Billionaires prepare for new battle over French broadcaster M6". Financial Times. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Bertelsmann's RTL scraps plan to sell stake in French TV Group M6". Reuters. 3 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.