TF1 says Molotov jumped the gun after the streaming service announced it would cease the retransmission of TF1 group’s free-to-air channels for free, and instead only offer them in its pay packages.
“The TF1 Group wishes to make it clear that the decision to offer its channels and services on a pay basis is solely the initiative of Molotov, which has unilaterally agreed to its distribution conditions,” the broadcaster said in a statement.
“However, the TF1 Group remains willing to negotiate with Molotov, as it does with all distributors.”
On Monday, Molotov said it had secured an agreement for the retransmission of TF1, TMC, TFX, TF1 Séries Films and LCI. Pay channels TV Breizh, Ushuaïa TV and Histoire TV are apparently excluded from the initial deal.
In January, Molotov was ordered by a Paris court to pay €8.5 million to TF1 Group in compensation and to cease the retransmission of its channels.
It ruled that Molotov had breached the copyright of the commercial broadcaster and was also guilty of copyright infringement for the reproduction of the group’s logos. Molotov was ordered to stop broadcasting the TF1 channels within 15 days, under penalty of a €75,000 per day fine if it failed to do so.
