During the first confinement of 2020, Canal + offered its programs in the clear to all viewers. No need for a subscription to enjoy the channel’s films and series. An initiative that obviously did not please TF1 and France Televisions, which between them claim more than 40 million euros to the main party.
Remember, it was March 16, 2020: Canal + announced that its channel was free for those who had an Orange, Free, SFR or Bouygues box. If the initiative had met with success with viewers, she had greatly displeased the Superior Audiovisual Council which quickly put an end to this broadcast of the usually paid channel. Canal + had therefore stopped broadcasting for free from March 31, 2020.
But the story does not end there and resurfaces a year and a half later. This time it is France Télévisions and TF1 attacking Canal +. Both groups believe the encrypted channel has failed in its duties regarding the media timeline. According to information obtained by the site Les Échos, TF1 and France Télévisions are demanding more than 40 million in financial compensation.
TF1 and France Télévisions attack Canal + for breaking the media chronology
If the two groups attack Canal + in this way, it is because they accuse it of having broadcast films without respecting the chronology of the media. As a reminder, a film having achieved more than 100,000 admissions in 4 weeks can be broadcast by Canal + 8 months later, or 6 months if it has less than 100,000 admissions. On the other hand, for free channels like TF1, France 2 or M6, this period is 20 or 22 months depending on the audience received. And it can even last up to 30 months in the event that the TV channel has not funded the production of a film.
However, by showing free-to-air films between March 16 and 31, Canal + has put itself in the position of a free channel. By showing some films before the fateful 22 months, the channel broke the agreement on the media chronology allowed for free channels. In addition, and to be expected, Canal + did better than usual, going from 1 to 2% of audience share.
This therefore strongly displeases TF1 and France Télévisions, which brought Canal + before the Paris Judicial Court and which between them would demand 41.3 million euros for infringement, as well as for competition and unfair and parasitic. Justice would have proposed an amicable settlement to settle the dispute between the two parties.
Source: The echoes