Acquisition of OCS and Orange Studio by Canal Plus Group: the Autorité makes the transaction subject to commitments

On 11 July 2023, Canal Plus Group notified the Autorité de la concurrence of its plan to acquire exclusive control of OCS and Orange Studio.

During its investigation, the Autorité held many discussions with Canal Plus Group. It also conducted extensive market consultation, sending out questionnaires to dozens of operators in the sector and holding a number of hearings. In addition, it held discussions with the French Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique – ARCOM) and the French Directorate General for Media and Cultural Industries.

After examining the transaction, the Autorité has cleared the acquisition subject to conditions. To address the risks of harm to competition identified, Canal Plus Group has entered into commitments, in particular to preserve the diversity of the French cinema offering.