TF1 has followed M6 in asking France’s Conseil d’Etat (State Council) to reconsider obligations placed on Canal Plus.
In June 2017 the competition authority reduced the obligations that were introduced in 2012 following Canal’s purchase of pay-TV rival TPS. This gave the Vivendi-owned company a near monopoly, but the arrival of Netflix and Amazon in the French market has shifted its position.
M6 argues the authority committed an error of judgement, a point on which TF1 agrees.
The Bouygues Group channel has also filed a second appeal against the reduction of obligations placed on free-to-air channels C8 and CStar.
But the action is being seen in the light of recent disputes over the carriage of the channels by Canal Plus and other platforms.
The broadcasters are seeking recompense for the distribution of their catch-up services, a point which has put the carriage of their main channels at risk.
