France’s Canal+ returns to the Dutch market with live TV and streaming offer
French pay TV giant Canal+ has confirmed it will be launching in the Netherlands via its subsidiary M7, which will be rebranded next month.
Jacques du Puy
M7 will be rebranded as Canal+ in the Netherlands on January 29 next year and will offer a mix of live TV and streaming, including the linear TV channel ESPN, alongside a catalogue of European movies and series available via a streaming platform.
These will be sourced from Canal+ Group subsidiaries SPI International and StudioCanal, which is the majority shareholder in distributor Dutch FilmWorks, which has a catalogue of over 8,000 international titles.
SPI International, meanwhile, has a catalogue of over 10,000 international films and series, including the Canal+ original series The Brigade.
The group will also have access to exclusive titles from Viaplay, Fremantle, Dutch Core, Lionsgate and Lumière, including the latest season of Norwegian series Furia and crime series Negociador.
Vivendi-owned Canal+ Group is also partnering with Dutch telecom operator VodafoneZiggo to be made available to more than three million potential customers in the Netherlands.
It comes after Canal+ Group has already launched a similar offer in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Canal+ acquired Luxembourg-based M7, operator of independent pay TV platforms across the Benelux and Central Europe, in 2019.
The Canal+ brand hasn’t been present in the Netherlands since 2006 after the channels were sold by Canal+ Group to Liberty Global. The channels were later sold to SPI International, which Canal+ Group acquired earlier this year.
Internationally, Canal+ Group operates in more than 50 countries and claims to have over 25 million subscribers across Europe, Africa and Asia.
Jacques du Puy, CEO at Canal+ International, said: “I am very pleased with the launch of our platform in the Netherlands, which will help us further strengthen the position of Canal+ in the European market. It is a dynamic market that offers us new opportunities.
“With our learnings from other territories and strong relationships with content-providers and major stakeholders, we’re confident to bring something new to the Dutch audience, bringing together the best of linear channels, sport, films and series.”
