Netflix and TF1 have signed a groundbreaking carriage agreement in France that sees the streaming giant integrate all five of TF1’s live linear channels and more than 30,000 hours of on-demand content into the Netflix platform beginning summer 2026. According to Ampere Analysis, this marks Netflix’s first-ever partnership to embed third-party live TV channels into its offering, a move that signals a shift toward a cable-like aggregation model.
With TF1 commanding a 24 percent share of France’s linear TV audience and reaching 58 million broadcast viewers monthly, the partnership offers Netflix a strategic foothold in the country’s traditional viewing ecosystem. TF1+ streaming also reaches 35 million users. French subscribers currently represent approximately 48 percent of connected households — around 13.7 million viewers — lagging behind the UK and US, but Netflix aims to reverse that trend by providing a one-stop destination for live sports, dramas, soaps like “Demain nous appartient,” and unscripted hits like “The Voice.”
Greg Peters, Netflix’s co-CEO, stated that the agreement is “a first-of-its-kind partnership that plays to our strengths of giving audiences the best entertainment alongside the best discovery experience.” He emphasized Netflix’s intention to provide consumers more reasons to log in daily. Meanwhile, TF1 Group CEO Rodolphe Belmer noted that as viewing habits shift toward on-demand consumption, the alliance “will enable our premium content to reach unparalleled audiences and unlock new reach for advertisers within an ecosystem that perfectly complements our TF1+ platform.”
Ampere Analysis highlights that France remains one of the few European markets where weekly linear TV viewing still exceeds subscription on-demand consumption. Only 32 percent of Netflix viewers in France also watch TF1 linear channels. The deal allows Netflix to tap a traditionally resistant viewer base, strengthening its content proposition amid increasing rivalry from local BVOD platforms. TF1’s yearly content investment of around $1 billion—nearly double Netflix’s local spend—adds substantial scale and richness to Netflix’s catalog.
Industry analysts warn that replicating such a model in the U.S. would be highly complex due to the fragmented affiliate TV system. Instead, the France experiment may serve as a test bed for Netflix’s hybrid aggregation strategy across European markets.
By combining its global streaming reach with TF1’s established broadcast footprint, Netflix aims to deepen user engagement, enhance ad-tier value, and meet European content investment requirements—all while helping TF1 offset declining linear audiences with broader distribution. As the landscape of media consumption evolves, this deal could signal the future of streaming-broadcast partnerships in Europe.