Canal+ Thématiques
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
Key people | Michel Denisot (President and CEO) |
| Owner | Canal+ Group (80%), Lagardère Group (20%) |
| Parent | Canal+ France |
Canal+ Thématiques—previously known as Ellipse Câble and subsequently MultiThématiques—is a French enterprise established in 1988 that operates thematic TV channels distributed through cable and satellite on the Canal+ network. The company is led by its president and CEO, Michel Denisot.
History
MultiThématiques is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canal+ France, with ownership divided between Lagardère Group holding 20% and Canal+ Group controlling 80%, both entities being part of the Vivendi conglomerate.
On November 29, 1995, Canal+ renamed its cable branch Ellipse Câble to MultiThématiques, creating a partnership with the American cable company Tele-Communications Inc. and Générale d'Images aimed at expanding international cable channel offerings.
In November 2000, Multithematiques Inc., its brief American branch, purchased Eurochannel for $8 million. CEO Michel Thoulouze sought to rejuvenate interest in European programming. During this period, Eurochannel extended its reach into Spanish-speaking Latin America, debuting in Mexico in early 2002.