The French audiovisual landscape is preparing to undergo a significant transformation. During the night of June 5 to 6, 2025, the Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique (Arcom) will implement a major overhaul of the channel numbering system for digital terrestrial television (TNT). This unprecedented shake-up will undoubtedly have consequences for viewers .
To facilitate this new service plan, which follows the removal of C8 and NRJ12 last February, Arcom has announced a temporary interruption of the signal around 1 AM. “There will indeed be a brief cut-off of the channels when the operation is launched, but it will last, in principle, only a few minutes,” a spokesperson for the regulatory authority confirmed to Le Parisien this week. Viewers will thus encounter black screens or messages indicating no signal for a short period while the transition takes place.
However, this mild disruption is only a minor inconvenience compared to the sweeping changes coming to the small screen. Beginning Friday morning, the French will have to familiarize themselves with a newly organized channel listing, the result of extensive restructuring efforts by the regulatory authority over the past several months.
Significant changes include the exit of a major channel and the introduction of a new one: Canal+ has decided to leave TNT, freeing up channel 4 , while T18 will debut on channel 18 . To compensate for Canal+’s departure, France 4 will logically take a channel corresponding to its name. The Parliamentary Channel and Public Sénat will take over channel 8 (formerly C8), and Gulli will inherit channel 12 (previously NRJ12).
Following this, a block of news channels will be reorganized: BFMTV will move up to channel 13 , followed by CNews on channel 14 , LCI on channel 15 , and France Info on channel 16 . After CStar , which retains channel 17 , the new T18 will soon arrive, followed by Novo 19 , also brand new, expected to debut at the start of the school year on channel 19 .
The arrival of a prominent news hub at the heart of TNT (from BFMTV on channel 13 to France Info on channel 16) is noteworthy. While these modifications may seem cosmetic, they represent deeper stakes and fierce competition among various actors in the French audiovisual landscape . Each channel’s position is crucial; the lower the number, the greater the chance of being viewed by French audiences . This is a significant factor given the ongoing decline in linear television consumption due to competition from streaming platforms .
Recognizing the implications of this “big bang,” Arcom has allocated almost one million euros to a comprehensive awareness campaign aimed at ensuring that viewers navigate this revolution with as little confusion as possible. The pressing question is whether audiences will embrace this new arrangement or take the opportunity to switch permanently to alternative viewing options.
General News – 2