CSA seeks to free-up French content market

France’s audiovisual regulator the CSA has outlined three key objectives based on its recent study on the market for French-made original programming.

According to the CSA, its study has shown that rights are currently circulated between channels belonging to the same group, while channels not backed by one of the main terrestrial broadcasters can encounter difficulties getting access to original programming.

The CSA’s first objective is to make programming rights granted to distributors proportional to their investment in the production, particularly in relation to rights of first and last refusal to the best-financed works.

It also wants to enable access to distribution rights during the first exclusive window to independent channels that invest in programming by giving them more access to the financial planning and rights contracts to works initiated by the main terrestrial channels, particularly France Télévisions.

Finally, it wants to ensure the transparency of the content acquisition market by creating the role of a mediator charged with investigating the circulation of rights and resolution of disputes.