Reformed Media Timeline: We Take Stock - Rolling Stone

A reform comes to stir up the chronology of the media, a French specialty, over a period of three years

For several months, a subject has been on everyone's lips of film buffs and enthusiasts of the audiovisual world: the chronology of the media. In a “post-pandemic” era, where SVOD (video on demand) platforms have largely done well after cinemas were closed for six months in 2021, offering ever more abundant catalogs, the future of cinema in theaters returns to the forefront of concerns. In a desire for balance, a new agreement, driven by the CNC and the Ministry of Culture, comes to review the mentions of the famous media chronology; that is to say the exploitation of a film after its release in the dark room.

When does a feature film arrive on Netflix, or Disney+, after its cinema release? How is this access granted to the many platforms that populate the operating system in France? We take stock.

Netflix and Canal+ winners of this new agreement…

As a reminder, until now, SVOD platforms had to wait 36 ​​months to be able to broadcast a film after its release on the big screen. Now, after numerous debates and discussions between players in the sector, the agreement stipulates in particular that this broadcast window be reduced to 15 months for Netflix – in return, the American giant is more committed than ever to financing French creations. For their part, Amazon Prime Video and Disney + obtain this precious access at the end of the 17th post-theater month.

Finally, the free TV channels (TF1, M6, France TV or Arte) will have to wait until the 22nd month to broadcast the feature films financed by them. Good point: they keep the exclusivity until the 36th month for these films (so 14 months of exclusivity). Data which implies that SVOD platforms will have to remove these films from their catalog during this precious period. Note that a television channel can also quite sign a co-exclusivity agreement, over a period of one month with a streaming platform (between the 22nd month and the 36th month).

For its part, Canal+, a major player in film financing in France, will be able to access films after 6 months (compared to 8 currently).

Example popularized at the key: the resounding Spider-Man: No Way Home, released in cinemas in December 2021, will be able to be released on Canal+ from May 2022. On Disney+, his favorite platform (since Marvel belongs to Disney), it will be able to disembark there from April 2023.

…Disney+ balks

This reform comes a few months after the platform managed by Disney “threatened” to “do without” cinemas in France, in particular for its Pixar catalog. Note also that this has already been the case, in the midst of a pandemic: Disney+ has offered some of its feature films exclusively, such as Luca or Raya and the Last Dragon.

In addition, the agreement indicates that the platforms will have to pay 20 to 25% of their turnover in France in local production.

Disney +, Apple TV + and Amazon Prime Video have not signed this new agreement, deemed too unprofitable. The management of Disney thus indicated to France Info: “We believe that the new chronology of the media (…) does not establish a fair and proportionate framework between the various players in the audiovisual ecosystem. This is all the more frustrating as we have increased our investments in the creation of original French content. »

Canal+, for its part, welcomes the news: “This modernized media chronology recognizes the unique position of Canal+ in the film funding cycle. »

Finally, Netflix, the only American platform to have signed the agreement, with a view to unfailing support for French production (see above), underlines a “first significant step in the modernization of the media chronology. It reflects our constructive approach throughout the negotiation process and our commitment to contributing to French cinema. »

This new chronology should take place from February 2022, for a period of three years.