Matthieu Pigasse wants to launch a "left-wing" news channel on digital terrestrial television (TNT).

Matthieu Pigasse wants to create a 24/7 news channel clearly positioned on the left. The businessman, already present in the media sector with the Combat group, Radio Nova, and others... Les InrockuptiblesHe intends to bring this project to digital terrestrial television (DTT). He presents this initiative as a decisive commitment to the public debate. His objective is to create a new national news offering, capable of defending an editorial line different from those already present on television.

A chain designed as a counterweight

In the French television landscape, several 24-hour news channels are already established. Matthieu Pigasse believes there is now a place for a channel with a left-leaning perspective, offering a social, political, and cultural analysis of current events. This future channel would aim to provide continuous news coverage, featuring debates, reports, interviews, and analytical formats. The challenge would be to offer a clearly identifiable editorial alternative while respecting the pluralism rules imposed on television channels.

An alliance with Humanity

The project would be led with Fabien Gay, communist senator and director of HumanityThis partnership reflects the desire to bring together a media-savvy economic player and a figure from the political and journalistic left. Their shared ambition is to build a channel capable of speaking to a broad audience, beyond just activist circles. To achieve this, the project will need to strike a balance between a strong editorial identity and journalistic credibility.

The battle for digital terrestrial television frequencies

To launch, this channel will need to secure a frequency on digital terrestrial television (DTT). Broadcasting licenses are granted by the audiovisual regulator, which examines, among other things, the project's financial viability, its appeal to the public, its editorial independence, and its ability to comply with legal obligations. The upcoming frequency auction therefore represents a strategic opportunity. However, the competition could be fierce, as DTT remains a highly sought-after platform for reaching a national audience free of charge.

A costly and risky gamble

Launching a 24-hour news channel requires significant resources. It necessitates funding for a newsroom, studios, technical teams, programming, correspondents, and continuous broadcasting. The business model relies heavily on advertising, audience reach, and the ability to quickly establish a strong brand. The project will therefore need to convince regulators, investors, journalists, and viewers alike. In an already saturated market, the challenge will be to stand out without resorting to a purely political confrontational approach.

A political issue as much as a media one

This initiative comes amidst heightened tensions surrounding media pluralism and the influence of large private groups in the audiovisual sector. By seeking to launch a "left-wing" news channel, Matthieu Pigasse is pursuing a strategy that goes beyond a purely economic project. The future channel, if it secures a broadcasting license, could become a new player in the public debate as major political elections approach. It would also test a crucial question: is there a large enough audience for a 24-hour news channel claiming a progressive stance?

An ambition yet to be realized

At this stage, the project remains subject to several conditions: securing a broadcast frequency, raising the necessary funding, building a newsroom, and defining a solid editorial line. Its actual launch is still not guaranteed. But the intention is now clearly stated. Matthieu Pigasse wants to make this channel a tool for influence, debate, and information. A project that is simultaneously media-related, political, and strategic, which could play a significant role in reshaping the French audiovisual landscape.