The retention of host Cyril Hanouna in the Canal+ group after the announced shutdown of the C8 channel “is not confirmed” at this stage, even if this is what the company wants, Maxime Saada told Stratégies.
Although the Council of State must still examine an appeal by C8 against the non-renewal of its frequency, “we were forced (to) record” the shutdown of the channel on February 28, declared Maxime Saada in a interview with this newspaper.
Will Cyril Hanouna stay in the Canal+ group afterwards? “That’s what I want, but it hasn’t been implemented,” replied the leader.
After a preselection announced in July, Arcom, the audiovisual regulator, on December 12 excluded the C8 and NRJ 12 channels from the procedure for reassigning eleven DTT (digital terrestrial television) frequencies.
Owned by the Canal+ group, C8 has accumulated fines of 7.6 million euros due to the slip-ups of Hanouna, its star host.
“a TPMP type talk show from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.”
“I underestimated the risk of withdrawal (of the frequency) until the end,” admitted Maxime Saada, according to whom “this decision by Arcom is (…) totally incomprehensible.”
Monday evening, for the return of her show “Touche pas à mon poste” (TPMP), Hanouna assured that there was “nothing done” about her future.
According to him, a “serious option” would be for him to switch to CStar, another Canal+ group channel, for “a TPMP-type talk show from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.”.
In recent months, he has also mentioned the project of broadcasting programs on the internet.
Decline in investment in cinema?
At the beginning of December, the group also announced that it would withdraw its four pay channels (Canal+, Canal+ Cinéma, Canal+ Sport, Planète) from DTT from June, citing the non-renewal of C8 and “a tax and regulatory environment more and more restrictive.
A prospect which could lead Canal+ to reduce its financing in the cinema sector. “The nature of our commitment depends on the conditions that will be offered to us by cinema organizations,” said Maxime Saada, while discussions are underway on the media chronology, the time limit for broadcasting films by channels and platforms after their release in theaters.
“Do we want to lower our obligations? Certainly. Do we therefore want to reduce our investments? We’ll see,” he said.
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