France: Altice (RMC Sport) to reorganize its pay-TV in the face of "unpredictable" TV rights market

"In the pay-TV and sports rights market, NextRadioTV has announced the upcoming cessation of the pay-TV news and debate channel, RMC Sport News, as well as the phasing out of sports competitions, particularly athletics, horse riding, and the unpredictable and inflationary rights and pay-TV market means that the organization of our pay-TV structures must be quickly and broadly reviewed," stated the media and telecom group Altice France on May 19/05/2020.

This reorganization of the pay-TV structure is part of a broader framework of cost reduction by Altice Media (BFM and RMC channels in France) with a departure plan of 1,600 employees.

"Sports is an increasingly complicated universe in the competition for rights, and economic success is absolutely not obvious. A few years ago for SFR, pay-TV was a strategic element, and we invested a lot in sports rights. This is perhaps something less decisive today," said Alain Weill, during a conference call with his employees on 19/05/2020, according to comments reported by French media L'Equipe.

Alain Weill assured his employees that they…