France's Canal+ pairs up with Netflix in pay-TV shift

PARIS, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Vivendi's VIV.PA pay-TV unit Canal+ is set to offer Netflix NFLX.O movies and series to subscribers as the French firm tries to counter pressure from the rise of online streaming services and falling subscriptions.

The companies said on Monday the new Canal+ TV bundles, integrating Netflix productions like its hit "Stranger Things" show, would be available in France from Oct. 15, and rolled out at a later date in markets like Poland.

The tie-up follows similar moves by a growing number of pay-TV groups and telecoms firms hoping to retain viewers by giving them a wider choice of programmes, including Comcast CMCSA.O's Sky in Britain and Telefonica TEF.MC in Spain and Brazil.

Netflix has hit over 6 million subscribers in France, overtaking Canal+, the country's biggest pay-TV group, which reported falling revenues in the first half of the year.

(Reporting by Gwenaelle Barzic, Writing by Sarah White, editing by Deepa Babington)

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