6ter

6ter is a French television channel operated by Groupe M6. It was created as part of the expansion of French digital terrestrial television and launched in high definition on 12 December 2012, alongside five other newly authorized DTT channels. The channel is distributed through French digital terrestrial television, satellite and DSL television services, and also has a Swiss subfeed carried by Swiss providers and available free-to-air by satellite. The name combines a spoken rendering of the number six with the French wordplay associated with the suffix “ter.” It positions the service as a small “sister” to M6 and as Groupe M6’s third free-to-air entertainment channel, following M6 and W9. The branding therefore connects 6ter to the wider M6 channel family while giving it a distinct identity aimed at viewers seeking accessible, broadly appealing programming. 6ter’s programming strategy is family-oriented. Its schedule has included magazines, documentaries, educational formats, children’s programming, television series and films. The channel has carried both acquired international series and programming sourced from the wider Groupe M6 ecosystem. Examples of series broadcast on the channel include Modern Family, Once Upon a Time, Jane the Virgin, Reign, Sleepy Hollow, Switched at Birth, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 90210, Fresh Off the Boat, Witches of East End, Extant, The Messengers, King & Maxwell, Off the Map and Zero Hour. Its entertainment portfolio has also included family-focused formats such as Family Blagues and event programming such as Grease: Live. Children’s content was particularly visible in the channel’s early schedule. Until June 2016, 6ter carried a weekday morning block called Trop Toon. After that block ended, cartoons continued to appear periodically, including broadcasts of Tintin. Alongside entertainment, the channel’s magazine, documentary and educational output supports its positioning as a general-interest service rather than a channel dedicated solely to scripted fiction. In 2022, during the proposed merger between Groupe M6 and Groupe TF1, 6ter was identified as one of the channels that could be sold to Altice to address competition concerns. The proposed transaction would have placed 6ter alongside the TF1-owned TFX channel in a potential divestment package. The Groupe M6–Groupe TF1 merger was abandoned in September 2022, and 6ter consequently remained owned by Groupe M6. The channel’s role within the M6 portfolio is therefore that of a complementary free-to-air entertainment service with a family-oriented editorial profile.

6ter emerged from the transformation of France's digital terrestrial television landscape in the early 2010s. In response to a call from France's Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel for applications to operate six new DTT channels, Groupe M6 submitted three proposals: 6ter, M6 Boutique & Co and Hexa. On 27 March, the regulator selected 6ter as Groupe M6's successful project for the new channel group. The service was scheduled for a high-definition launch on 12 December 2012. The channel was conceived as an extension of the Groupe M6 portfolio rather than as a narrowly specialized service. Its name creates a family relationship with M6: “6ter” is pronounced similarly to the French word “sœur,” meaning sister, while “ter” also suggests a third channel in the group's free-to-air entertainment lineup after M6 and W9. This identity helped distinguish 6ter from both its parent group's flagship channel and its other general-entertainment offerings. From launch, 6ter developed a family-oriented schedule combining magazines, documentaries, educational programs, children's content, television series and films. The channel's acquired fiction slate included American and other international series such as 90210, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Extant, Fresh Off the Boat, Jane the Virgin, Modern Family, Once Upon a Time, Reign, Sleepy Hollow, Switched at Birth, Witches of East End and Zero Hour. Several programs were carried in syndication or with different seasons appearing at different times, reflecting the channel's role as a secondary outlet within a broader television group. Event and entertainment titles also included Grease: Live and Family Blagues. Children's programming was an important element of the early schedule. A weekday morning block named Trop Toon ran until June 2016. Following the end of that branded block, children's animation continued to appear intermittently, including broadcasts of Tintin. The overall editorial profile remained oriented toward accessible viewing for households and mixed-age audiences, supported by factual, educational and entertainment formats. 6ter's distribution expanded beyond French terrestrial broadcasting. Like its sister channels M6 and W9, it has a Swiss subfeed for distribution through Swiss television providers and for free-to-air satellite reception. The channel is also available through satellite and DSL television services in addition to French digital terrestrial television. The channel became involved in a significant corporate and regulatory discussion in 2022. During the proposed combination of Groupe M6 and Groupe TF1, competition concerns led to consideration of divesting 6ter to Altice, alongside TF1's TFX. The proposed sale was not completed because the wider merger was abandoned in September 2022. Groupe M6 consequently retained ownership of 6ter, which continued as part of the group's free-to-air channel portfolio.

• 2022

  Proposed divestment during failed M6–TF1 merger

  [1]6teren.wikipedia.org

  6ter was proposed as a possible sale to Altice to mitigate competition concerns during the planned Groupe M6–Groupe TF1 merger. The merger was abandoned in September, so the sale did not proceed.

• 2016

  Trop Toon children's block ends

  [1]6teren.wikipedia.org

  The channel ended its weekday morning children's block, Trop Toon, while continuing to carry some children's animation at later points.

• 2012

  Regulatory selection

  [1]6teren.wikipedia.org

  France's audiovisual regulator selected 6ter from Groupe M6's proposals for one of six new digital terrestrial television channels.

• 2012

  High-definition launch

  [1]6teren.wikipedia.org

  6ter launched in high definition on French digital terrestrial television on 12 December as part of the country's new DTT channel group.

A family-oriented French free-to-air entertainment channel and the third terrestrial entertainment service in Groupe M6's channel family after M6 and W9.

• Television channel · 2012

  6ter free-to-air television channel

  6ter is Groupe M6's family-oriented free-to-air entertainment channel. It distributes a general-interest schedule consisting of series, films, magazines, documentaries, educational programs and children's content through French digital terrestrial television, satellite and DSL services.

• Television distribution

  Swiss subfeed

  6ter has a Swiss subfeed designed for distribution through Swiss providers and free-to-air satellite reception. It extends the channel brand beyond its primary French market while remaining associated with the Groupe M6 television family.

• 2022

  Consideration of a sale to AlticeM&A

  Background

  The proposed merger between Groupe M6 and Groupe TF1 raised competition concerns, leading to consideration of asset divestments involving 6ter and TF1-owned TFX.

  Action taken

  6ter was proposed for sale to Altice as a potential remedy, but the wider merger was abandoned in September 2022 and the transaction was not completed.

  Aftermath

  Groupe M6 remained the owner of 6ter.

  Source

1. 16teren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official 6ter website6ter.fr