Canal+ (French: [kanal plys], meaning "Channel Plus"), also spelt Canal Plus and sometimes abbreviated C+ or Canal, is a French premium television channel owned by Canal+. The channel was launched in Paris and Issy-les-Moulineaux on 4 November 1984, and broadcasts to Metropolitan France. It broadcasts several kinds of programming, mostly encrypted, but some unencrypted content can be viewed free of charge.
Canal+ was co-founded by André Rousselet and Pierre Lescure. An early pioneer was Alain de Greef, who joined in 1986.
Contents
History
In 1978, six years before Canal's launch, Jean Frydman, who had the TVCS (Télévision Communication Services) project, was planning a project to launch a fourth television channel in France, which had its roots in the previous Canal 10 project. Whilst waiting for a billing to create an encrypted TV channel, the TVCS project had first planned to produce and broadcast their own programmes during time slots when three French television channels began broadcasting a test card at night and in the morning. One year later in July 1979, it was announced that the channel had chosen to broadcast the programmes produced by public national television channel and the TVCS company Antenne 2 (now known as France 2) who had broadcast encrypted programmes that were originally intended for businesses or certain professionals.
In March 1984, eight months before the official launch, Canal+ started its retransmission tests in the Île-de-France region. Those first broadcasts were scheduled every day from 2 to 6 p.m. and consisted of music videos, animated short films, and various movie trailers.
Canal+ was launched in November 1984, when there were only three government-owned channels available in France. The company was co-founded by André Rousselet, president of the French multinational advertising company Havas, and Pierre Lescure (born c. 1945), who proved very popular with media professionals and politicians. It got off to a slow start, and some politicians, including Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, railed against the idea of having a commercial TV channel. However, Rousselet was a personal friend of the president, François Mitterrand, and so obtained favourable terms for the setup. Pierre Lescure was director-general at that time. A combination of political connections and clever programming – giving the French public American hit comedies and French drama not available on the government channels – worked, and subscriptions soon increased. Government regulations required that the channel give several hours of free programming each day, which was used by Canal+ to promote the subscription service. Its first logo was used from inception until 1995.
The channel initially had to use 45% of its airtime on films until the film industry pushed back. Sport, interview shows, documentaries, and soft pornography joined films as the main staples of programming at this time. Starting in 1985, Canal+ has had a tradition of showing one pornographic film every month at midnight, generally on the first Saturday of the month. In 1985, the government opened up the market to other private commercial television stations, offering some serious competition. However, aggressive marketing and policies ensured that the company kept growing.
Description
Canal+ broadcasts to Metropolitan France. Its programming is mostly encrypted, but some unencrypted programming can be viewed free of charge. The channel does not broadcast advertising, except when broadcasting on free-to-air slots. Almost all foreign films and series can be viewed either in their original language with French subtitles (on a secondary audio channel) or dubbed in French. All programs are subtitled in French for deaf people and those who struggle with hearing. Some programs also have audio description for those who are visually impaired.
Canal+ is a supporter of the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) initiative, which promotes and establishes an open European standard for hybrid set-top boxes for the reception of broadcast TV and broadband multimedia applications with a single user interface.
Encryption
Analogue
Originally, subscribers would be mailed a code to punch in on their decoder's control panel to view the encrypted service (using the RITC Discret 1 system); the code would be based upon the decoder's serial number (stored in the box's ROM). To avoid problems with customers' codes not being delivered on time by the postal system, Canal+ would switch to encryption based on a generic key, between the last day of the month (beginning at midnight) and the first Monday of the next month (until 9 AM). During this time, all decoders—even those with lapsed subscriptions—would be able to view the channel.
However, signal piracy was rampant, especially after the magazine Radio Plans printed decoder plans in its December 1984 issue. As a result of this, Canal+ switched to the much stronger Nagravision encryption system beginning in 1992; the Discret system was fully phased out by 1995. The new decoders utilised smart cards, cut into the shape of a key, and inserted into the front of the decoder. Different decoders using the D2-MAC standard were also deployed during this time, mostly for cable subscribers. With the launch of CanalSatellite, the Mediaguard encryption system was instituted, created by SECA (Société Européenne de Contrôle d'Accès), a firm owned by Canal+ and Bertelsmann; Canal+ eventually bought out Bertelsmann's stake and rebranded SECA as Canal+ Technologies. This firm was sold by 2003 to Thomson SA. The MediaGuard system's use in Britain (by the now defunct OnDigital/ITV Digital) led to hackers in the employ of Rupert Murdoch's rival encryption company NDS breaking into the MediaGuard system, resulting in new cards being issued to Canal+ subscribers in 2002 and Canal+ starting legal action against Murdoch. The Nagravision system continued in use until 30 November 2011, when all analog television broadcasting in France ceased.
Sister channels
Les Chaînes Canal+ is the offer name regrouping the premium Canal+-branded channels in France. From 2003 to 2008 it was called Canal+ Le Bouquet.
Programmes
Cinema
Box-Office
Canal+ Premières
Coup de Cœur
Surprises
Têtàtête(s)
Tchi tcha
L'hebd'Hollywood
Le cercle cinéma
Le journal du hard
Series
Création Décalée
Création Originale
Fiction
Une série Canal+
Le cercle séries
Les coulisses d'une création originale
Sport
Formula 1
Masters Tournament
MotoGP
Premier League
Ryder Cup
Top 14
UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa League
UEFA Conference League
Canal champions club
Canal football club
Canal rugby club
Débrief moto
En pôle
Formula one
Golf+ le mag
La grille
Match of ze day
Soir d'Europe
Doc sport
Intérieur sport
Documentary
Les bouveaux explorateurs
Alexia cuisine la france
Culture & street
Fatou en mode…
Jérôme, les yeux dans le bleu
L'enfant de la forêt
Les nouveaux éclaireurs
Les terroirs de Fred Chesneau
Voyages au bout de l'effort
Magazine
Clique
En aparte
Entertainment
Déambulations
Hot Ones
Jamel Comedy Club
Saturday Night Live
Spectacle
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