Netflix partners with French broadcaster TF1 to integrate live TV channels and on-demand content into its app, marking a first-of-its-kind deal.
Starting summer 2026, French subscribers can access TF1’s live channels and on-demand library within Netflix at no extra cost.
Analysts suggest a similar deal is unlikely in the U.S. due to complex local affiliate agreements and retransmission fees.
Netflix is teaming up with French broadcaster TF1 to embed its live TV channels and on-demand content directly into the Netflix app, a first-of-its-kind deal that turns the streamer into a modern-day cable provider. The partnership, announced via a joint press release, marks a major experiment in bundling traditional television within a top-tier streaming service.
Channel surfing on Netflix: Starting in summer 2026, French subscribers will find TF1’s live channels and on-demand library available inside Netflix at no extra cost. The integration means popular shows like The Voice, live sports, and daily soap operas will live alongside Netflix originals like Lupin and Stranger Things, all without users needing to switch apps.
If you can’t beat ’em, bundle ’em: For Netflix, the deal is a play for deeper user engagement, giving subscribers more reasons to stay on the platform. For TF1, it’s a strategic move to reach cord-cutting audiences where they now live. TF1 Group CEO Rodolphe Belmer said the “unprecedented alliance” will help its content reach “unparalleled audiences” as viewing habits change.
A deal that doesn’t translate: While the move reframes Netflix’s strategy in Europe, don’t expect a similar deal in the U.S. anytime soon. Analysts point out that America’s complex web of local affiliate stations and expensive retransmission fee agreements create financial and logistical hurdles that don’t exist in France’s singular national broadcast market.
The bottom line: Netflix is testing a future where it’s not just a content creator, but the central hub for all home entertainment—blurring the lines between the service that killed the cable bundle and the bundle itself. The move comes as Netflix pushes its brand beyond the screen with plans for experiential “Netflix House” venues. This all happens against a backdrop where streaming has officially eclipsed cable and broadcast TV viewership in the U.S., forcing legacy media companies like NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery to consider their own major corporate restructuring.
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