French Superior Audiovisual Council notice of December 6, 2005 on the numbering of free DTT channels
Notice of December 6, 2005 to digital terrestrial television distributors on the numbering of free-to-air channels
Having regard to Act no. 86-1067 of September 30, 1986, as amended, on freedom of communication, in particular articles 1, 3-1, 26 and 30-1;
Having regard to the Order of December 27, 2001, as amended, on the characteristics of digital terrestrial television (DTT) reception equipment;
Having regard to the decree of December 24, 2001, as amended, concerning the characteristics of transmitted signals;
Vu la décision n° 2004-524 du 14 décembre 2004 attribuant les quatorze premiers numéros des chaînes de la télévision numérique terrestre ;
Vu la décision n° 2005-575 du 26 juillet 2005 attribuant les numéros des chaînes de la télévision numérique terrestre suite à l'appel du 14 décembre 2004 ;
After deliberation,
The French Superior Audiovisual Council hereby issues the following notice to all digital terrestrial television distributors:
In accordance with the decree of December 24, 2001, as amended, on the characteristics of transmitted signals and the principles governing the numbering of DTT services, the Conseil has assigned logical numbers to DTT services.
The decree of December 27, 2001, as amended, on the characteristics of DTT reception equipment stipulates that "unless the user specifically intervenes", reception terminals order services according to their logical number.
During its consultation launched on July 21, 2004, the Conseil took care to point out that it would be up to future distributors, if they so wished, to offer their subscribers, via a voluntary terminal reset option, a classification of pay-TV channels according to categories (in keeping with the principle of fairness between channel publishers).
In any case, the commercial distributor will only be able to offer an alternative numbering system if the subscriber has expressly accepted it, as only he or she is empowered to make this decision, under the provisions of the decree.
Furthermore, in accordance with the principles laid down by the legislator, the French Superior Audiovisual Council reiterates that it must give preference to free DTT channels.
In addition, and in line with the consultation launched on DTT channel numbering, the French Superior Audiovisual Council reiterates that DTT channel numbering must reconcile two main objectives: fairness between channels and viewer satisfaction, in particular by not disrupting viewer habits.
With this in mind, the French Superior Audiovisual Council advises DTT distributors not to change the logical numbering assigned by the Council for free-to-air channels, as follows:
1 - TF1
2 - France 2
3 - France 3
5 - France 5
6 - M6
7 - Arte
8 - Direct 8
9 - W9
10 - TMC
11 - NT1
12 - NRJ 12
13 - La Chaîne parlementaire
14 - France 4
15 - BFM TV
16 - I-Télé
17 - Europe 2 TV
18 - Gulli
This notice will be published in the Journal officiel de la République française.