The co-founder of the TV and VOD platform Molotov, Jean-David Blanc, and its managing director Grégory Samak are the guests of "Culture Médias" on Thursday.

The latter reveals that Molotov is still in negotiations to have access to the replay of TF1 and M6.

A tense file, which is held under the gaze of the Competition Authority.

INTERVIEW

The 13.5 million users of Molotov, the TV and VOD platform, can watch TF1 and M6 live ... but not in replay.

A problem for its co-founder Jean-David Blanc and its managing director Grégory Samak, guests of 

Culture Médias on 

Thursday.

The managing director explains, by measuring his words, where are the negotiations with the two chains on this file which is becoming more complex with the arrival of the Salto platform.

The Competition Authority may well have the last word.

>> Find Culture Médias in replay and podcast here

A Molotov-Salto match

Because there is for Molotov a problem of unfair competition, even if Grégory Samak does not say it in these words, in having only been able to offer part of the services of TF1 and M6 on his platform.

For their part, TF1 and M6 refuse for the moment to give access to their replay, arguing that they are now available on Salto, the competing platform, which brings together TF1, France Télévisions and M6.

An argument that does not have to be for Grégory Samak.

"In August 2019, when Salto was authorized, the chains undertook to offer their channels and their services," he recalls.

In any case, there is no doubt that the arrival of this competing platform has made this issue of replays more complex.

“What we have seen since the launch of Saltos, honestly, is not an improvement in our relations,” he understands.

An insufficiently competitive market?

In these negotiations, which the director general reveals that they are still ongoing, Molotov is counting on the regulator.

"When we jointly represent 80% of the national television audience, it is normal for the Competition Authority to ask you to respect a certain number of rules and commitments", he addresses to the refractory channels.

"And that is exactly what we are trying to enforce."

The Autorité de la concurrence could in fact consider that Salto represents a quasi-monopoly player, in the absence of the provision of replays to other platforms.

This is what Molotov is betting on, in order to finally be able to offer the replays of TF1 and M6.

"There is no doubt that the discussions which are in progress will end up being successful", assures Grégory Samak.