Advanced Television

TF1 channels now on Molotov pay

February 8, 2022

From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris

French OTT platform Molotov has revealed that TF1’s FTA channels will no longer be distributed via its free-of-charge service. TF1, TF1 Séries Films, TMC, TFX, as well as catch-up content will instead move onto its paid offering. In addition, Molotov will also cease distributing TF1’s pay-TV channels TV Breizh, Ushuaïa and Histoire TV.

The situation is subject to change in light of ongoing talks with the TF1 Group. This decision follows a Paris Court judgement obliging Molotov to pay €8.5 million to TF1 for unauthorised retransmission of its channels.A similar judgement in December 2021 banned Molotov from distributing M6 channels (M6, 6ter, W9 and Gulli) via its free-of-charge offering.In a letter to its subscribers, Molotov asserts that it has signed the conditions settled down by TF1 regarding the distribution of its FTA channels. TF1 has challenged this, wishing to make clear that “the decision to provide its channels and service on a pay-per-view basis is the entire and plain responsibility of Molotov, which has unilaterally agreed to its distribution terms and conditions if use”.In the last two months, Molotov’s free section has lost nine channels from two major players on the French FTA DTT market. All other FTA channels remain free of charge via Molotov. The platform claims more than 17 million users and 250,000 pay subscribers in France

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, FTA, OTT, Pay TV

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