M6 (French: [ɛm sis]), also known as Métropole Television, is the most profitable private national French television channel[1][2] and the third most watched television network in the French-speaking world.[3] M6 is the head channel of the M6 Group media empire[4] that owns several TV channels, magazines, publications, movie production companies, and media-related firms. It is owned by RTL Group.
Country | France |
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Headquarters | 89, avenue Charles de Gaulle 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France |
Programming | |
Language(s) | French |
Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to 576i for the SD feed) |
Ownership | |
Owner | M6 Group |
Sister channels | W9 6ter Gulli Paris Première Téva M6 Music Série Club MCM RFM TV MCM Top Canal J TiJi |
History | |
Launched | 1 March 1987 |
Founder | Jean Drucker |
Replaced | TV6 France (1986–1987) |
Links | |
Website | www |
Availability | |
Terrestrial | |
TNT | Channel 6 (HD) |
On 20 May 2021 it was announced that M6 Group, owners of the channel, has proposed a merger with TF1 Group, which owns TF1.[5] On 16 September 2022, it was announced that the merger was officially abandoned due to financial crisis on both companies.[6]
M6 launched on 1 March 1987 at 11:15 am CET taking the place of TV6.
M6's current on-air brand image, introduced in May 2020 suggests that it tailors its service to teenagers and young-adult demographics. Its current programs lineup include:
In 2001, M6 became the first national French television network to broadcast reality programming. Its first program of this genre was Loft Story, and was highly watched. The president of TF1 at the time, Étienne Mougeotte, promised that TF1 would never air any reality programming. However, several months later, TF1 signed a contract with Endemol to air such programming. Endemol is the same company that created Loft Story for M6.
M6 is one of the only television services in France to have science-fiction programming as part of its regular schedule. Most supernatural dramas were shown on Saturday nights in what M6 called "la Trilogie du Samedi" (The Saturday Trilogy)