Netflix signs deal to host live TV channels in France

Everything old is new again. Netflix just inked a deal to air live television broadcasts in France, turning the streaming giant into, well, regular TV. The platform will host five traditional broadcast channels from French TV behemoth TF1. Subscribers in the region will have access to live programming and on-demand content.

The partnership officially begins next summer. The channels underneath TF1’s umbrella air everything from reality shows like The Voice to live sports, including the French national football team’s matches.

The deal brings a whole lot of content to Netflix, as TF1 has a massive back catalog. This includes popular local dramas like Brocéliande and reality shows like Koh-Lanta. Greg Peters, co-chief executive of Netflix, told Financial Times that TF1 is a “producer of great, premium content.” This move could help the platform with customer retention in the region.

TF1 gets access to a large pool of potential viewers, as Netflix’s subscriber base in France passed 10 million in 2022. That’s around 13 percent of the country’s total population.

This isn’t the first time the two companies have teamed up. TF1 and Netflix have collaborated on scripted shows like Les Combattantes and Tout le bleu du ciel. This is likely due to a mandate in France that requires streaming services to reinvest in local content. It’s also not the first time Netflix has experimented with live TV in the region. The platform tested a live TV channel called Direct back in 2020.

This is fascinating because Netflix began as an alternative to live TV and now it’s becoming live TV. You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.