TF1 signs deals for its thematic channels

The TF1 Group has announced that it has reached agreements with the principal IPTV, satellite and cable operators for distribution of its thematic channels.

The broadcaster has said that Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, CanalSat and Numericable will distribute thematic channels Eurosport, Eurosport 2, LCI, TV Breizh, Histoire, and Ushuaïa TV, which were previously distributed on an exclusive basis.

According to French news reports, CanalSat was paying €64 million a year for the exclusive rights to carry the thematic channels across all its platforms on satellite and IPTV. This situation ended when Canal said last year it was no longer willing to pay premium prices for the exclusive rights to the channels.

These new non-exclusive distribution arrangements, effective for three years from January 1, 2012, will enable the group’s thematic channels to broaden their reach and strengthen their business model, according to TF1.

The distribution agreements mean that TF1′s all-news channel LCI will continue to be encrypted, in contrast to its rivals BFM and i-Télé, which are both free-to-air. Until now, LCI was exclusively available through CanalSat, but it will now be available across all platforms, including the terrestrial pay bouquets from TV Num and TF1′s just launched Lib’Télé.

In a statement TF1 said it is delighted with these agreements, which confirm the attractiveness of its theme channel offering.

Last December, TF1 also launched its own pay service for DTT channels in the country, Lib’Télé, in order to directly sells the thematic channels LCI, Eurosport and CFoot for a subscription fee of €19.90 per three months. Viewers have to buy a DTT receiver for €39.90 and can buy a prepaid card for each three-month period.

So far, pay-DTT has not been a great success in France. At the moment, the Canal+ bouquet on DTT is the best performing with around 500,000 paying subscribers.

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