The Autorité de la Concurrence, France’s competition authority, has proposed that the length of pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus’s future football broadcast rights deals should be restricted.
The watchdog, which has been assessing Canal Plus’s resubmission for a merger with pay-television operator TPS, also said that the broadcaster could be prevented from acquiring both pay-television and free-to-air rights for the same event “when these rights are offered [to the market] separately.”
Canal Plus acquired general entertainment channel Direct 8 in December, opening up the possibility of showing sports programmes on the free-to-air platform as well as on its pay-television channels.
The competition authority has proposed a broad range of possible remedies that would allow Canal Plus to complete its long-awaited merger with TPS. The remedies have been put out to consultation. Interested stakeholders have until June 6 to make submissions in the consultation.
Last year, the authority retrospectively withdrew its support for the Canal Plus-TPS merger, which was originally approved in 2006, after accusing Canal Plus of failing to fulfil its obligations.
The proposals, which also cover films and other content, were compiled following recommendations from the country’s national media regulator, the Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel.