Businessman Xavier Niel's NJJ Projet has not been selected by the French Audiovisual and Digital Communication Regulatory Authority (Arcom) for a digital terrestrial television (DTT) service, Arcom announced in a press release on Wednesday.

TF1 and M6 won the two DTT services open to bidders.

NJJ Projet, which wanted to set up the "SIX" channel on DTT, was one of the three "finalists" selected last month by Arcom.

The regulator's decision was taken on Wednesday by a plenary session, "after a comparative examination of the applications and a public hearing of the three candidates on February 15, 2022", the press release states.

Discussions will now be held with TF1 and M6 to "conclude an agreement defining the obligations and commitments of each of the two services".

"This agreement will have to be concluded before the delivery of an authorization for the use of the radioelectric resource on DTT, which itself will have to take place before May 5, 2023", Arcom stated.

(Written by Jean Terzian, edited by Nicolas Delame)