Canal

"The emblematic example of this cultural change, for the better, is the odyssey of the little bear Paddington: a character born in publishing, he became the hero of two films produced by Studiocanal-the third installment will be released in 2022-then expanded into derivative products (plush toys, games...) before returning to the world of entertainment (video games, musicals, TV series)... "The model is Disney," explains Bolloré. Their inspiration was fading, they reacted. We need to seek out talents. Spot them, sign them, coach them. Especially at Canal and in its catalog, the source of all French cinema.""

"Canal, the word is out, for the worst, this time. Because, contrary to what he claimed in the Financial Times, Vincent Bolloré has settled in the heart of the machine, as soon as he saw the accounts in the red. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, he is present at 7 a.m., in the office of the former CEO, Bertrand Méheut, fired in the summer, without delicacy but with comfortable compensation, like twenty-two of the management executives. A statement from the new owner-boss, uttered in front of a union representative-"The top management of a large house deserves a bit of terror"-will become the symbol of this takeover. As Bolloré says, "I create an atmosphere"..."

"At this time, Vincent Bolloré still feels the need to defend his actions externally (" We had to go commando to turn Canal around") and his intuitions: "The prices are both too high and not high enough. We will make Canal cheaper for the young, and more expensive for the enthusiasts. And we will create staircase steps.""

"Most importantly, he will transform a bouquet of channels into a platform-an aggregator of content, as they say in the industry-offering not only Canal's programs, but also those of Disney or beIN, of which Canal has become the exclusive distributor for France."

"Just a few months later, unexpectedly: Vivendi refuses to honor the contract. The late Antoine Bernheim would probably have said, "the bride had the pox"... The very courteous Arnaud de Puyfontaine, CEO of Vivendi, may have expressed it a little less cavalierly (" We thought we were buying a Ferrari, and we end up with a Fiat Punto"), but the statement sent chills down the spines in Milan. And yet, it wasn't far from the truth: Mediaset Premium, supposedly losing 70 million in 2015, suddenly found itself on a trajectory of 200 million negative result each year. Almost as much as Canal in France! A nightmare that Vivendi did not want to replicate. Faced with this turnaround, the Italians sue for breach of contract, seeking 570 million euros in damages, then even 3 billion... Bolloré obviously retaliates, and in November, Vivendi declares itself "freed from its willingness to prioritize an amicable solution." It's war. And Bolloré is going to use its classic arsenal: the attack on the capital."