Molotov signs up Viacom for channel distribution

Molotov and Viacom

French streamer Molotov has announced a multi-year distribution deal with Viacom. 

The deal will see a range of Viacom channels, including Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central added to the platform. Viacom channels BET, Game One and Paramount were already available on Molotov.

Grégory Samak, managing director of Molotov said: “Such a deal will strengthen our historic partnership and enable the public in France to benefit from the rich variety of Viacom’s content, with all the innovation and fluidity Molotov consistently provides to the users.”

Molotov was launched by AlloCiné founder Jean-David Blanc and Canal+ co-founder Pierre Lescure in 2016. During that time it has amassed over 9.5 million subscribers, though the vast majority of those are free users. 

Blanc told Le Figaro that the company expects to reach 200,000 paying customers by the end of 2019.

Altice also recently agreed a distribution with Molotov, The deal has seen BFMTV channels, BFM Business, BFM Paris, BFM Lyon Métropole, RMC Découverte, RMC Story and i24NEWS added to the platform. 

That deal follows a previous failed takeover bid. After months of discussions, the deal was called off after a number of Molotov investors were unhappy with the terms of the takeover. It was reported that investors wanted an all-cash purchase, but it instead would involve Altice implementing a capital increase of €10 million.