Canal Plus compromises to secure Bollore channels
April 4, 2012
Canal Plus has proposed to the Competition Authority seven commitments over three years in the hope the regulator will grant permission for its acquisition of Bollore’s free-to-air TV channels Direct 8 and Direct Star.
C+ proposals include non-discrimination for advertising and broadcasting rights for Studio Canal films, separate negotiations between its premium and free-to-air assets for new Hollywood releases, and offering up to five Ligue 1 football matches on Direct 8 and Direct Star. The antitrust regulator is now consulting the TV industry about Canal Plus’s proposals. A decision is expected in the middle of the year.