Eurosport France will withdraw from the country’s digital-terrestrial television market when media and entertainment company Discovery Communications increases its stake in the French division of pan-European sports broadcaster to the 51-per-cent mark.
According to the Univers Freebox news website, Nonce Paolini, the president of TF1, who has previously said that the media company would like to retain a 49-per-cent interest in Eurosport France, said that Eurosport will have to withdraw from DTT for legal reasons.
French legislation reportedly dictates that a non-European company cannot hold more than 20 per cent in a DTT channel. Discovery currently has a 20-per cent stake in Eurosport France.
The report added that Eurosport France is likely to withdraw from DTT on January 1.