The French competition authority has requested that Canal+ show more
transparency towards the independent channels carried on its Canalsat
platform.
The pay-TV group will also have to allow distribution competitors access
to its in-house movie channels, as proposed in recent offers submitted
to the authority.
Up until now, independent channels carried on Canalsat's bouquet were
subject to financial dependence on Canal+ through very opaque contracts
and price conditions. They will now be able to discuss conditions in a
transparent, objective and non-discriminatory way.
Greater transparency will also be applied to alternative operators such
as Web access suppliers and cable operators, as they will be able to
make counter-offers in order to carry those independent channels, the
authority added.
Canal+ will thus be obliged to make its seven Ciné+ channels available,
either as single channels or as a package, to other distributors.
Numericable is the only operator that currently has this opportunity.
Canal+ reference offers should then allow the sector of independent
channels to strengthen and then increase and diversify the pay-TV offers
available, the competition authority believes.
Such recommendations follow the authority's decision in September 2011
to withdraw the authorisation initially given in 2006 to merge the dish
platforms TPS and Canalsat.
Canal+ was criticised for not having respected former engagements and,
on the contrary, having strengthened its dominant position.
Last July, the French competition authority formulated some ten
injunctions to show Canal+ how to set up transparent rules for
independent channel distribution and for accessibility to its own movie
channels.
|