Netflix keeps on boosting its content offer in order to enhance its users’ experience. On June 17, the streaming giant announced a historic agreement with TF1, a French Free-To-Air TV channel. Beginning in the summer of 2026 (in the northern hemisphere), the channels owned by audiovisual company Groupe TF1 will be available in linear form in the French market. The announcement was made at Cannes Lions Festival, which is currently being held in Cannes.

Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters highlighted: “This is a first-of-its-kind partnership”. Up to now, the OTT has never included a traditional TV channel in its platform. It is interesting to note that it was also in France that Netflix first activated a linear channel in November 2020. The channel aired varied content taken from the OTT’s catalog.

The French company owns five Free-To-Air channels: TF1, TMC, TFX, TF1 Series Films and LCI, as well as several Pay TV channels, such as TV Breizh, Histoire TV, Ushuaïa TV and Serieclub. However, there is no information about which of the above mentioned channels have been included in the deal. In addition, the agreement provides for the availability of on-demand content delivered by TF1+, TF1’s streaming platform.

TF1 has always topped audience ratings and it is also a rating leader in France at present. According to information provided by the company, Groupe TF1 currently reaches an aggregate of 58 million monthly viewers across all its Free-To-Air channels and serves 35 million users on its TF1+ streaming service.

“As viewing habits shift toward on-demand consumption and audience fragmentation increases, this unprecedented 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,” explained Groupe TF1 CEO Rodolphe Belmer.