Canal Plus has proposed to the Competition Authority seven commitments over three years in the hope the regulator will grant permission for its acquisition of Bollore’s free-to-air TV channels Direct 8 and Direct Star.
C+ proposals include non-discrimination for advertising and broadcasting rights for Studio Canal films, separate negotiations between its premium and free-to-air assets for new Hollywood releases, and offering up to five Ligue 1 football matches on Direct 8 and Direct Star. The antitrust regulator is now consulting the TV industry about Canal Plus’s proposals. A decision is expected in the middle of the year.