Orange Cinéma sale unlikely before late 2011

Any deal between Orange/France Telecom and Vivendi-owned Canal Plus for the sale of the former’s Orange Cinéma channels is likely to take until late 2011 to complete because of competition issues and employee regulations, according to Raoul Roverato, head of new growth businesses for France Telecom.

Roverato told the Reuters news agency that Canal Plus remained the preferred buyer for the channels but that the telco would have to spend about two months consulting with employee representatives and that regulatory approval could take a further six months.