The Canal+ Group is seeking financial support from the French government for its campaign to inform its viewers of the ongoing analogue switch-off.
Canal+ has decided on an early digital switchover, before the government imposed deadline of November 30, 2011. At that time, all other analogue channels, TF1, France Televisions, M6 and Arte, will be switched off.
Canal plans to terminate its analogue transmissions later this year in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region, and in other regions by December 6, 2010.
While the €149 million cost of the campaign for the country’s switch to digital is meant to be shared by all channels, Canal considers that it is not required to contribute after 2010. The channel nevertheless said it ready to provide around €8 million in 2011, but expects the government switchover body France Tele Numerique to pay a subsidy.