France Télévisions CEO calls Salto closure a ‘strategic mistake’

Delphine Ernotte-Cunci (Source: Series Mania)

France Télévisions CEO Delphine Ernotte-Cunci has called for more cooperation between domestic broadcasters, after describing the decision to close its pan-broadcaster streamer Salto as a “strategic mistake”.

The streamer, which was backed by France TV, TF1 and M6, was liquidated last year with execs blaming “complex and constraining governance” for its demise.

Salto had been created with an ambition to compete against US-based rivals such as Netflix and Prime Video, but long-gestating regulatory clearances and the failed merger between TF1 and M6 led to its shuttering.

Nicolas de Tavernost (Source: Series Mania)

Ernotte-Cunci said that the broadcasters had “missed an opportunity” to address the fast-changing shifts to streaming, telling audiences during her keynote at Series Mania Forum that she was hopeful a similar offering could make its way to market.

“We killed Salto but for me, it was a strategic mistake. I hope we can overcome that mistake and reconsider it – a common platform is the right thing to do,” she said.

The streamer offered local programming from France TV, M6 and TF1, such as the latter’s Demain Nous Appartient, as well as numerous international shows, including Cineflix’s Canadian dark comedy drama Happily Married (C’est Comme Ça Que Je T’aime).

The France TV boss also talked up Freely, the free TV service unveiled last year that is jointly owned by UK broadcasters the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

It is set to launch in Q2 and will carry channels from all four broadcasters, as well as offering swathes of on demand content, with ambitions to compete with global streamers.

M6’s chairman, Nicolas de Tavernost, also used his keynote at Series Mania to talk up the launch of Freely, suggesting that French broadcasters had “missed a step” by not pulling together.

His comments come a week since M6 revealed more details around its soon-to-be relaunched streamer M6+, which will carry Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, an original MMA contest format and an additional version of The Traitors.