Canal Plus ‘dominant position’ probe on
November 16, 2010
Vivendi’s Canal Plus pay- television unit faces a continued probe by France’s competition authority into exclusive deals, the regulator has confirmed.
The investigation focuses on Canal Plus’s distribution practices for its ‘in house’ channels, certain deals for linked channels, and contracts between Canal Plus and independent channels, the regulator said in a statement on its website.
“These exclusivities, taken together, will be studied to determine the possible existence of a cumulative effect, a blocking off (of competition) prompted by their imposition on the market,” the regulator said. It will review whether Canal Plus’s dominant position between 2006 and 2008 has been affected by more recent market activity. An initial inquiry was begun after a complaint from France Telecom, owner of Orange TV.