TF1 has filed a request for arbitration with the French media regulator CSA after it was unable to reach an agreement on the distribution of six of its multichannel services with satellite distributor CanalSat.
Six channels, Eurosport 1 and 2, TV Breizh, Ushuaïa, Histoire and Stylia, but not news network LCI, are referred to in the complaint.
From 2012 TF1 plans to lift the exclusivity previously enjoyed by CanalSat, meaning that the channels will also be available to other platform such as SFR, Free and Orange, where a deal is already thought to be in place.
The broadcaster receives an annual €70 million from the channels, with a further €30 million for Eurosport, and €10 million for LCI.
Local media has reported CanalSat only to be willing to pay €10 million for Eurosport on a non-exclusive basis.
The investigation is expected to take three months to complete.