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OCS (TV network)

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OCS
CountryFrance
Broadcast areaFrance, Switzerland, Mauritius
HeadquartersParis, France
Programming
Language(s)French
Original audio track
Picture format576i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Ownership
OwnerGroupe Canal+
History
LaunchedNovember 13, 2008 (2008-11-13)
Closed3 July 2024; 4 months ago (2024-07-03)
Replaced byCiné+ OCS
Former namesOrange Cinéma Séries (2008–2012)
Links
Websiteocs.fr

OCS, or previously known as Orange Cinéma Séries, is a group of French pay television networks that is dedicated to films and series. Ot was launched in November 2008 by Orange S.A. and was later sold to Groupe Canal+ in 2024.

The channels launched on November 13, 2008, as part of the company's new direct-to-home satellite service and was exclusive to Orange TV.

OCS is composed of three channels and a streaming service. OCS broadcast almost all their series in English with French subtitles in simulcast with the American broadcasting, but they also broadcast series dubbed in French or French series. From November 2008 to December 2022, OCS was holding the French rights to HBO production.

Since 2012, OCS TV package is now available from Bouygues Telecom, CanalSat, Numericable, Orange TV, SFR and Tahiti Nui Satellite. All subscribers have the option to subscribe to OCS with their TV distributor. OCS is also available through multi devices.

History

In April 2008, France Telecom (who would rebranded as Orange in 2013) announced that they're creating a new movie direct-to-home satellite service by launching Orange Cinema Series, a package of six pay-TV channels exclusive to Orange's customers and had signed exclusive content deals with Warner Bros. (including HBO), Gaumont, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to show their movies and TV series to the service.[1]

In October 2008, it was announced that Orange had set the launch date of their subscription-based multiplatform Orange Cinema Series along with their announced five new pay-TV premium movie channels which were called Orange Cinemax (for major blockbusters in HD), Orange Cinéhappy (for family films), Orange Cinéchoc (for action movies), Orange Cinénovo (for independent and art house films) and Orange Cinegeants (for timeless classic movies) as part of the company's then-new television service named Orange TV to November 13, 2008 with HBO's programming being available in that same day on the Orange Cinema Series service.[2][3]

A month later on November of that same year, Orange Cinema Series was officially launched along with their five channels.

Attempted merger with Canal+

In September 2010, France Telecom had announced that there in talks with Groupe Canal+ the owner of CinéCinema and TPS Star channels to merge Orange's Orange Cinema Series with Canal+'s general entertainment channel TPS Star to create a premium

On January 20, 2011, France Telecom and Canal+ had announced that they're creating a new enterprise partnership that could merge the blockbuster film channel Orange Cinema Series with TPS Star to create a proposed premium pay TV channel which was planned to be called Orange Cine Star. It was going to be distributed by the Orange services and CanalSat was about to be available to other French telco operators.[4]

On 25 November 2011, Canal+ took a 33% share in Orange Cinéma Séries. Originally exclusive to La TV d'Orange, Orange Cinéma Séries joined CanalSat on 5 April 2012. On 22 September 2012, Orange Cinéma Séries became OCS to show its expansion bouquets other than Orange TV.

On 10 October 2013, OCS Happy was merged with OCS Max; OCS à la demande became the multiplatform service OCS Go; and OCS Novo was replaced by OCS City, specialised in TV series and HBO productions.

Since 2008, OCS have an exclusive contract with HBO, but other channels like Canal+ Séries can broadcasts reruns of HBO series. In 2017, OCS's contract with HBO became stricter, giving complete exclusivity to OCS.

The suite also includes a streaming service, OCS Go, who simply became OCS in 2019. Content is provided by exclusive contracts with Warner Bros., HBO, MGM and Fidelity as well as non-exclusive contracts with Gaumont, SND, BAC and Wild Side.[5]

On 2 August 2017, OCS was launched in Switzerland on Teleclub Premium. It is also available on the Ciné-Séries bouquet of Canal+ since March 2019.

Acquisition by Canal+

When WarnerMedia announced that their removing of HBO shows on OCS in return for the former to launch their own steaming service in France, it was announced that Orange was considering selling their movie bouquet OCS along with their channels including their production arm Orange Studio to other French companies

In December 2022, OCS deal with HBO ended with most HBO productions leaving OCS from January 2023 onwards. Following that, OCS closed OCS City, the channel that was in charge of HBO programs, and merged it with OCS Choc to create OCS Pulp.[6]

On January 8, 2023, Canal+ Group along with Orange had announced that Groupe Canal+ had secured a deal with Orange and the latter announcing that were acquiring both Orange's rival premium pay-TV movie service OCS along with their three channels and its film production and television co-production house Orange Studio, which Canal+ previously owned the minority stake on Orange's pay TV arm and film division. The planned acquisition would give Canal+ [7]

In January 2024, Groupe Canal+ announced that they had finalised their acquisition of Orange's pay-TV premium movie service OCS along with their three premium television channels and the film production and television series co-production company Orange Studios from long-time partner Orange after the acquisition was conditionally approved by the French Competition Authority[8]

TV channels

Channel Type Launched
OCS Max Blockbusters, comedies, family and teen films 2008
OCS Geants Classic films
OCS (previously OCS Go) Streaming service 2013
OCS Pulp Independent, arthouse, action, thriller and horror films 2023

Defunct TV channels

Channel Type Notes Launched Closed
OCS Happy Family and teen channel Programs have been moved to OCS Max 2008 2013
OCS Novo Independent and art house films Became OCS City
OCS Choc Action, thriller and horror films Merged and became OCS Pulp 2023
OCS City Independent, art house films and programs from HBO 2013

Series

OCS Max

This list includes programs from OCS Happy who have been moved to OCS Max.

OCS Choc (2008-2023)

OCS City (2013-2023)

OCS Pulp (2023-present)

References

  1. ^ "Télécom lance "Orange cinéma séries"". La Tribune. April 8, 2008. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  2. ^ Leffler, Rebecca (October 8, 2008). "Orange takes wraps off Cinema Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  3. ^ Briel, Robert (October 8, 2008). "Orange sets November launch for movie bouquet". Broadcast TV News. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  4. ^ Hopewell, John (January 20, 2011). "Canal Plus, Orange team on pay TV". Variety. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  5. ^ "Orange sets November launch for movie bouquet". broadbandtvnews.com. October 9, 2008.
  6. ^ Elsa Keslassy (October 19, 2021). "HBO Max France: Canal Plus Executive Vera Peltekian Set to Lead Original Programming (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  7. ^ "Canal+ Finalizes Acquisition of Orange's Pay TV, Film Subsidiaries in France". Variety. January 8, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  8. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (January 12, 2024). "Canal+ Group Gets Anti-Trust Approval to Acquire French Pay TV Group OCS and Orange Studio, Under Certain Conditions". Variety. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
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