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]
 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Euronext Paris: MMT
CAC Mid 60 Component | |
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 1 March 1987 |
| Headquarters | , France |
Key people | Nicolas De Tavernost (ex CEO) |
| Products | |
| Revenue | 1,315,600,000 Euro (2023)  |
| 237,100,000 Euro (2023) | |
| Owners | |
| Website | www |
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
editTelevision
edit| 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
edit| 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
editAll 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
editThe 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
editOn 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
edit- 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
edit- ^ "20 ans de cotation de M6 sur la place parisienne". Euronext. 24 September 2014.
- ^ "M6 en quête de nouvelles recettes". Le Monde. 22 November 2013.
- ^ "M6 souffle ses 25 bougies". Terrafemina. 1 March 2012.
- ^ "France's TF1 & M6 Enter Exclusive Merger Negotiations to Create $4B Media Giant". 18 May 2021.
- ^ Broughton, Mathew (20 May 2021). "TF1 & M6 Propose Merger; Vungle Acquires TreSensa". ExchangeWire. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ "Proposed merger between TF1 and M6 group abandoned, companies say". Reuters. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
- ^ "Billionaires prepare for new battle over French broadcaster M6". Financial Times. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ "Bertelsmann's RTL scraps plan to sell stake in French TV Group M6". Reuters. 3 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.