France

The Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR) and Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) have agreed to shift the weekly Sunday afternoon Top 14 game that is shown on pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus to 5pm local time following complaints from the amateur game.

Media365 has been appointed by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to produce coverage of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations national team football tournament.

Vivendi chief executive Arnaud de Puyfontaine will meet Italian financial markets regulator Consob in Rome on Friday following complaints over the French media group’s growing interest in Italian broadcaster Mediaset, according to Reuters.

The Fédération Française de Rugby has sealed rights deals for the Top 8 women’s rugby union tournament in France with public-service broadcaster France Télévisions and international sports broadcaster Eurosport.

Mike Kiernan reviews television audiences across the big five markets for the recently concluded Formula One World Championship

BeIN Sports France president Yousef Al-Obaidly has said the pay-television broadcaster is on course for profitability despite a report claiming it has posted a cumulative loss of more than €1bn ($1.072bn) since its launch in June 2012.

French media company Vivendi has upped the ante in its ongoing battle with Mediaset by stating it could acquire up to a fifth of the Italian broadcaster, leading to speculation over a hostile takeover bid.

The French Football League (LFP) has reached an agreement with its rights-holder, pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus, over its coverage of the top two divisions of the domestic game.

French telecommunications company Altice has elected to close its tennis-dedicated pay-television channel, according to multiple reports.

French telecommunications company Orange is in talks over investing in media group Vivendi’s pay-television unit Canal Plus, according to multiple reports.

Pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has sublicensed a package of rights for the upcoming handball men’s World Championship, which will take place in France from January 11-29, to French commercial broadcaster TF1.

Pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports is seeking to sublicense on some rights in France for the upcoming handball men’s World Championship, which will take place from January 11-29, as well as the 2017 handball women’s World Championship, scheduled for the end of next year.

BeIN Media Group increased its fee for National Basketball Association media rights in France by about 23 per cent ahead of the new season.

Will Partington, research analyst for SportBusiness Intelligence, examines television audiences for motorcycling’s MotoGP World Championship in selected European markets.

French pay-television broadcaster SFR Sport has broadened its football portfolio by acquiring rights to Portuguese knockout competitions the Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga.

The SFR Sport division of French telecommunications company SFR has launched an OTT service.