French broadcaster TF1 has today launched TF1+, a new ad-supported streaming service, as it seeks to become the leader in free streaming in France. TF1 chairman and CEO Rodolphe Belmer described the launch as a “turning point” in the evolution of TF1’s business model, adding that the launch of TF1+ “strengthens the position of TF1 in the digital video market, with a unique value proposition for both French audiences and advertisers”.
TF1+ isn’t TF1’s first streaming venture. The new service replaces MyTF1, its previous catch-up service. And TF1 was one of three French broadcasters behind Salto, an ad-free subscription service which shut down last year.
But TF1 says this new service marks a significant evolution beyond these products. Salto was a play for the SVOD market, rather than the ad-supported market which TF1 is more familiar with. And while MyTF1 ran ads, it was very much framed as a catch-up complement to TF1’s linear channels – for example it only hosted content for seven days after airing on linear channels.
TF1+ meanwhile is a more comprehensive, standalone streaming service. It’s launching with over 15,000 hours of content, including hundreds of films and full TV series on-demand. Content will be available for a minimum of 30 days, and up to 48 months, thanks to reworked licensing deals. TF1+ will also host around fifty new free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels.
A paid version without ad breaks during content is available (at €5.99 per month), but advertising is a big focus for the broadcaster. CEO Rodolphe Belmer said last month that TF1 is relatively weak in France’s large and growing digital video ad market, and that TF1+ is designed to address this.
New features and distribution partnerships
Alongside the expanded content offering, TF1+ will introduce a few fairly unique tools and features.
On the content front, TF1+ will run a show called ‘TOP INFO’, which will consist of five short daily shows of between 3-6 minutes providing insight into the main new stories of the day. Meanwhile ‘TOP CHRONO’ will offer short AI-created highlights packages of various lengths (such as five, ten, or 15 minutes) from sporting events. This idea with this second product is that viewers will be able to watch whatever length of highlights is most convenient for them, depending on how much time they have.
While AI will play a role in content creation, TF1 wants to dampen the role of algorithms in content recommendation. TF1 says it will offer stronger editorial input into content surfacing alongside personalised recommendations. However algorithms will be central to ‘SYNCHRO’, another new feature which will personalise content recommendations to groups of viewers rather than one individual.
These sorts of new features can help attract and retain viewers. But often distribution partnerships, though not quite as exciting, are crucial for getting a new service off the ground – shortfalls in this area were cited as a major reason for Salto’s closure.
TF1 already had deals with set-top box makers Orange, Bouygues Telecom, and SFR as well as smart TV platforms Google TV, Samsung, LG, Philips, Hisense, and Amazon Fire TV signed months before today’s launch. The broadcaster says it has agreed deals to appear prominently on the interfaces of all these platforms, alongside the major SVOD platforms with which TF1+ will compete for audiences’ attention.
And today TF1 has announced a distribution agreement with Free, France’s other major IPTV provider, giving it distribution across all the major players.
