- published: 18 Dec 2015
- views: 51986
TF1 Group is a French media holding company (French: Groupe TF1), the owner of channel TF1, the largest European private TV channel, and Eurosport, the largest European sports network.
The group was formed after TF1 was privatised in 1987. It is controlled with a 43% stake by Bouygues, is quoted on Euronext Paris.
TF1 Group owns or has a direct stake in the following television channels:
The group also owns 33.5% of peers AB Groupe and WB Television (parent of Belgian stations AB3, AB4 and Vidéoclick).
In June 2009 TF1 Group agreed to buy the NT1 channel from AB Groupe, as well as AB's 40% stake in TMC Monte Carlo (which would take TF1's total stake to 80%). The deal was cleared by France's competition authority and subsequently by the Council of State in December 2010, dismissing an appeal by Métropole Télévision. As part of the same transaction the group raised its stake in WB Television to 49%.
The firm holds a number of other interests in the advertising, internet and publishing fields, including 34% of Metro International's operations in France.
Coordinates: 48°50′1.9″N 2°15′38.3″E / 48.833861°N 2.260639°E
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network. It's also considered as the most viewed television channel in Europe (since the British television ITV1 had lost this title). Flagship series include CSI, The Voice and House M.D.
TF1 originally stood for Télévision Française 1 (French Television 1). Since its privatisation in 1987, the abbreviation is no longer expanded, so as to avoid confusion with the government-owned channel France Télévisions[citation needed].
The channel is part of the TF1 Group of mass media companies, which also includes the news channel LCI and Eurosport, the largest European sports network. Together with France Télévisions, TF1 co-managed the international French news channel France 24 but has since sold its share. TF1 had possessed the satellite-network TPS, which have been sold to the Canal + Group.