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France's Canal+ Pairs Up with Netflix in Pay-TV Shift

Reuters

   PARIS - Vivendi's Canal+ has agreed a deal to add Netflix subscriptions
   to TV bundles in France and elsewhere, the French broadcaster said on
   Monday, in the latest such alliance to counter pressure from streaming
   giants.

   The new Canal+ bundles integrating Netflix would be available in France
   from Oct. 15 and later expanded to other European markets.

   Pay-TV groups have been squeezed globally as viewers switch to online
   video platforms that often offer cheaper packages and churn out
   original productions. Netflix, with a string of hit shows such as "The
   Crown" and "Stranger Things," has been leader of the streaming pack.

   Some have responded by striking deals with Netflix and other platforms
   to add content and keep clients from switching off, including Comcast's
   Sky in Britain, even if it allows streaming companies to make further
   inroads in their market.

   "People have already subscribed to Netflix, it's unavoidable," said
   Francois Godard, European media and telecoms analyst at Enders
   Analysis.

   Canal+ has suffered after losing some soccer broadcasting rights in
   recent years and is still losing subscribers despite producing
   critically acclaimed series such as "The New Pope" alongside Sky and
   HBO.

   It has been overtaken by Netflix's 6 million subscribers in France and
   it reported falling first-half revenue.

   Netflix's deal with Canal+ is the first of its kind in France, though
   the U.S. group's films and shows are already distributed via deals on
   internet service providers such as French telecoms group Orange.

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