Despite the current gloom surrounding the media sector, Canal Satellite is ploughing onwards with its expansion plans, which will debut on the platform throughout September and October.
Among the new launches will be Sport+, a fully-owned Canal+ Group sports channel which will combine the sports rights of its parent company as well as the recently acquired Pathe Sport. The channel's programming will consist of around 80 different sports ranging from soccer and rugby to the Olympics, basketball and boxing.
CanalSatellite, which is 66 percent owned by Canal+ and 34 percent by Lagardere, is defying the media downturn with predictions for total revenues of U$744.4 million for 2002 with operating income expected to reach U$58.8 million. The platform also expects to break the two million subscriber mark by the end of the year. CanalSatellite was serving 1.9 million homes as of the start of August.
Said Isabelle Parize, Chief Executive Officer of CanalSatellite: "Our subscribers expect to watch exactly what they want in each genre, from movies and sports to discovery, children's programmes and recreational shows. This is why CanalSatellite has decided to expand and enhance its theme channel line-up by selecting the best channels with the strongest brands (40% of them exclusive to CanalSatellite) and by offering the broadest possible choice in each genre."
