CANAL+ Group pursues international development with acquisition of Alterna’TV from Eutelsat Americas

7 April 2016

CANAL+ Group, through its subsidiary THEMA, announces the acquisition from Eutelsat Americas of Alterna’TV, a Miami-based content distribution company.

Alterna’TV is a content distribution platform that provides principally Latin American channels to cable and Internet TV operators in the United States. It currently reaches over ten million subscribers across the Americas.

The transaction includes a long-term agreement for the lease of capacity on the EUTELSAT 113 West A and EUTELSAT 117 West A satellites.

Through this purchase, Canal+ Group is reinforcing its position in North America, where THEMA established a local office in 2013. Leveraging its strong international expertise in content distribution and marketing, the acquisition will allow THEMA to create a new integrated business unit to promote its commercial development across the Americas, exploiting the synergies between its existing distribution activities and those acquired through Alterna’TV.

THEMA is active in five continents with a portfolio of over 100 channels distributed through leading international pay-TV platforms.

Commenting on the acquisition,François Thiellet,CEO ofTHEMA, said: “The acquisition of Alterna’TV marks a new step in our partnership with Eutelsat with whom we have been working since our creation. It will allow us to scale up our presence in North and Latin America and will reinforce our team and the portfolio of channels we offer pay-TV operators in these markets. It will complement the platform we already operate in Canada with Terra Terra (that notably distributes Planète+ in Canada and became part of THEMA in January 2016) to create Thema America which aims to become a privileged partner of operators, replicating our success with our European model that draws on an innovative editorial and commercial approach.”

Patricio Northland, CEO of Eutelsat Americas, a subsidiary of Eutelsat, added: “Our relationship with THEMA and Canal+ enters a new phase with the signature of this agreement. We plan to continue to support the growth of Alterna’TV in the Americas through our fleet of high-power satellites and unique local infrastructure. I take this opportunity to thank the Alterna’TV teams for their significant contribution to its success over the years.”