Paris (AFP)

After two weeks of cutting channels BFMTV, RMC Discovery and RMC Story on the Freebox, the groups Iliad and Altice reached an agreement on Tuesday to resume their broadcast.

Like the agreement signed Friday between Orange and Altice, that concluded with Iliad, the parent company of the operator Free, concerns only the diffusion of the linear signal, that is to say in real time, of the three chains.

On the other hand, it does not include the associated value-added services of these channels whose signal was cut on the Freebox since August 27, according to concordant sources.

"This agreement allows the distribution by Free BFMTV channels, RMC Discovery and RMC Story plus the two local channels BFM Paris and BFM Lyon Métropole", detailed Altice in a statement.

"The channels, suspended August 27, are available again today, to the subscribers of Free," according to the same source.

This agreement puts an end to several months of conflict between the two groups regarding the terms of a new agreement to broadcast Altice channels on the Freebox.

The Superior council of audio-visual (CSA) immediately hailed this truce.

"The CSA is pleased that an agreement has been reached between @AlticeFrance and @free.This positive conclusion is above all good news for viewers," tweeted the official account of the Council late Tuesday evening.

- Search for new sources of income -

Like TF1 and M6, Altice hoped to be paid for its channels as well as the value-added services associated with them (such as the programs available for retrofit) while Free agreed to pay for these services but not for broadcasting channels in real time, arguing that they are free channels.

Tensions between the two groups led to the interruption of broadcasting of the three channels in late August, Iliad being forced to do so if he did not want to be imposed a penalty of 100,000 euros per day and per channel.

On the 5th of September, Orange had in turn cut the signal of the chains, for want of an agreement with Altice.

He had put them back online 36 hours later, with both groups agreeing on linear signaling while delaying negotiations on related services at a later date.

On the other hand, Altice has entered into compensation agreements with Bouygues Telecom, Canal + and SFR, which is also a subsidiary of Altice.

Television groups, competing with streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or Hulu on the one hand and Facebook and Google on the advertising market on the other, are seeking new sources of revenue.

They believe that operators, who also attract customers by offering free television, must pay them compensation.

The CSA recalled this summer that the "freedom of contract" prevails: the publishers can "ask a remuneration for the resumption of their chains on the non-radio networks", but "nothing compels the distributors to take back the private chains of TNT on these networks ".

© 2019 AFP