This past week, the news broke that Netflix would begin to add live broadcast TV channels to its platform. This summer, French subscribers will gain access to five linear channels from France’s top commercial broadcaster, TF1 Group.

While the move is quite surprising, it also shows a strategy. A company that has been integral to the end of traditional TV is adopting a piece of its playbook.

The Netflix-TF1 Agreement

The Financial Times reported that the agreement between Netflix and TF1 would give subscribers in France a classic television experience within a modern streaming interface. Beyond the ability to access the live channels, Netflix users will have access to over 30,000 hours of on-demand TF1 content by summer 2026.

That content includes hits like The Voice, scripted series, and live sports, adding new options to the platform while expanding Netflix’s presence in France.

Netflix and TF1 have previously partnered on a French historical drama, Les Combattantes (known internationally as Women at War). But this agreement goes much further. It’s not simply a matter of co-production. Instead, it’s the deep integration of live TV in the streaming interface, a play that few streaming services have tried.

The parties did not disclose financial terms, but the scope of the deal suggests it is a long-term commitment.

“The deal gives us an opportunity to offer viewers in France more reasons to come to Netflix every day, and to keep them coming back for all their entertainment needs,” co-CEO Greg Peters said. “By working with France’s leading broadcaster, we’ll be able to do that and help ensure that the programming French viewers know and love is more easily accessible for everyone.”

For TF1, the deal is a game-changer in terms of reach and advertising. The broadcaster’s channels will still run commercials, allowing TF1 to reach more people and have more appeal to advertisers.

“The announcement is an illustration of the interest of our partnership and aligns with our desire to build a new relationship with the new generations of viewers, in favor of a broadcasting of original, qualitative content,” said Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of TF1. “As viewing habits change towards on-demand consumption and audience fragmentation increases, this unprecedented alliance will enable our premium content to reach never-before-seen audiences.”

He went on to say that linear TV is “in secular decline,” and this partnership will help to keep it alive by “benefiting from the enormous driving force of Netflix.”

The Regulatory And Revenue Plays

Beyond satisfying its own audience, Netflix will also meet regulations by working with TF1. According to the Financial Times, under French law, platforms must invest 20-25% of their revenue in France into local content. In addition to gaining the capacity to fulfill this requirement, Netflix will be able to use TF1’s cultural cache to expand its library.

There is also a huge viewership potential for Netflix. TF1’s broadcast channels have 58 million viewers per month, while TF1+ has 35 million users. By comparison, Netflix has just over 10 million subscribers in France, according to co-CEO Ted Sarandos in 2022.

The integration of the two services could bring TF1’s audience to Netflix — and vice versa — establishing a virtuous cycle of engagement and visibility.

Indeed, Peters said that the company will watch how this deal goes before it tries to strike other partnerships. If the agreement works out, it could expand to other European countries and even the U.S.

As consumers continue to evolve, there is a move to stream. According to Nielsen, 44.8% of all television time in May was spent streaming, overtaking cable (24.1%) and broadcast (20.1%) for the first time since tracking began in 2021.

While some linear channels are already available on services like YouTube TV, Netflix integrating live broadcast channels into its service is another major shift. In addition to disrupting television, streaming services are starting to incorporate it.

With the TF1 deal, Netflix may be trying to position itself as the one-stop shop for all types of content — from bingeable shows to live sports and regular TV.

For many viewers in France, Netflix already feels like TV. Now it will be a part of it.