CanalSat could lose exclusive carriage of Universal channels

French pay TV platform CanalSat could stand to lose its exclusive grip on more channels, with NBC Universal admitting that a broader distribution of its Syfy and 13ème Rue channels “deserves study”, according to a report in La Tribune newspaper.

The latest news follows a move by TF1 to make its thematic channels available on rival platforms such as Free and Orange, which NBC Universal told the newspaper it was “following with great interest”. Disney and local female-oriented channel Vivolta have already moved away from exclusive distribution on the platform, signing deals for carriage on Free’s TV service.

CanalSat has recently shown itself to be less willing than previously to pay a premium for exclusive carriage of third-party channels.