Canal+

Canal+ is a French premium television channel that launched on November 4, 1984, in Paris and Issy-les-Moulineaux. Co-founded by André Rousselet and Pierre Lescure, with early contributions from Alain de Greef, it broadcasts to Metropolitan France with a mix of encrypted and free-to-air content. The channel, also known as Canal Plus or simply C+, offers movies, sports, series, and documentaries, often encrypted behind a subscription. Its launch marked a shift in French television, introducing a pay-TV model that brought Hollywood blockbusters and exclusive sports events to homes. Canal+ quickly became a cultural fixture, known for its bold programming and satirical shows.

The channel operates under the larger Canal+ Group, which has expanded into film production and distribution through StudioCanal, backing major French films like The Intouchables (2011). Over the years, it has faced competition from streaming services but remains a key player, with a reputation for high-quality original series such as Le Bureau des Légendes and live sports coverage, including Ligue 1 football and Top 14 rugby. As of 2024, Canal+ is part of Vivendi, which announced plans to spin it off into a separate publicly traded company listed on the London Stock Exchange.[edit]

Canal+'s original mission was to bring high-quality, uncut cinema and major sporting events into French homes via a subscription model. Over time, its purpose expanded to include producing and distributing original series, documentaries, and satirical news programs, while maintaining a focus on exclusive content, particularly Ligue 1 football and major film releases.[edit]

Canal+ was born from a state-backed initiative to break the monopoly of France's three public television channels. André Rousselet, a former advisor to President François Mitterrand, pushed for a pay-TV model that would offer uncut films and live sports. The channel launched on November 4, 1984, requiring a decoder box that became a cultural icon. Early programming mixed Hollywood movies with original content, but it was the 1988 debut of Les Guignols de l'Info, a satirical puppet show, that turned Canal+ into a national institution. The show skewered politicians and celebrities for over two decades, drawing both praise and lawsuits.

In the 1990s, Canal+ expanded into satellite broadcasting with CanalSatellite in 1996, and into film production via StudioCanal. The 2000s saw a shift toward original series, with Le Bureau des Légendes earning international acclaim. Vivendi acquired full control of the group in 2015, and Maxime Saada became Chairman. The 2020s brought challenges: a legal battle with the French football league over Ligue 1 rights in 2021 led to a temporary collapse of the broadcast deal, but Canal+ secured long-term rugby rights instead. In 2024, Vivendi announced a plan to spin off Canal+ as a separate company listed in London, marking a new chapter for the channel.[edit]