So, in your opinion, Mediaset's La Cinq will survive. How about Canal+?
Canal+ became big, by buying the broadcast rights of french Football league and keep there hands on it.
it went for several years so on, that FR3 and others had show the french rugby league instead.
also gain Canal+ with there production company PATHE, control over French Movie making and show there French blockbuster, on there Pay channel first on TV, second by TF-1 or France 2.
La Cinq was created by politician Jérôme Seydoux and Italian media mogul Silvio Berlusconi, as first french Private TV channel in 1986 even before privatization of TF-1.
because La cinq was run by a politician and financed by a shady Italian, the french government made several attempt to stop the broadcast, so Jérôme Seydoux and Silvio Berlusconi move out.
and sell La Cinq to groupe Hachette (newspaper) who put Robert Hersant in charge 1987.
sadly Hersant made very bad choosing on the Programs and there broadcast time, also he start serie of disastrous purchase of new equipment, studios and a new Office building for the channel.
groupe Hachette had buy la Cinq for news program something Hersant reduced to 5 minute spots during programs (in nation were normal TV New in time take 45 minute long)
during the time former Antenne 2 workes try to save the channel by changing the Program, only to drive away the last loyal viewers.
with ratings under 10% and spending of one billion french franks, groupe Hachette pulled the plug in 1992 La Cinq stopped broadcast.
irony Silvio Berlusconi, proposed to save La Cinq under his control, but French Government made allot of Pressure that not happened,
so in 1992 La Cinq literally fade away on TV screens on april 2, 1992.
there were salvage attempts by TNT network and later by AB group on Studios & equipment of La Cinq but in end the French Government reopened the Channel as La Cinqueme aka France 5
Personally, I highly doubt that TF1 would become an highbrow culture channel. It wasn't before 1987 and France 3 is not really an highbrow culture channel.
you not see the Night program of FR3 before 1987 ?
after 23:00 FR3 show exclusive culture programs, experimental / cult movies or Anthology, like René Laloux Animation Anthology series "De l'autre côté"