French private broadcasting groups TF1 and M6 have jointly acquired the 25% stake held by French utilities group Suez Lyonnaise in digital satellite platform Television Par Satellite (TPS).

TF1, which previously held a controlling 50% stake in TPS, following the acquisition in December last year of the 25% stake jointly held by France Telecom and public broadcaster France Televisions, ends up holding 66% of the French digital satellite operator.

M6, which previously held 25% of TPS will hold the remaining 34%.

This acquisition -- which consolidates the shareholding of France's second digital satellite platform, a direct competitor to Vivendi Universal's own operation CanalSatellite - comes at a time when TF1 and M6 have both indicated an interest in acquiring VU's Canal Plus, which controls CanalSatellite, were the pay-TV group to be put up for sale.