The TF1 television group will launch a brand new free video streaming service on January 8, 2024: TF1+. Entirely driven by advertising, it will succeed the aging MyTF1 with more than 15,000 hours of programs.
And yet another little new one for the world of video streaming! After participating in the common Salto platform, since abandoned, in favor of its MyTF1 replay service, TF1 is once again changing direction to launch its own video-on-demand service, simply called TF1+, in line with Disney+! Rodolphe Belmer, the boss of the group, announced Figaro the launch of the new platform, which should coexist for some time with MyTF1 – so that its users can begin the migration to the new service quietly –, before the replay service with 2.75 million users per month is withdrawn also his reverence. TF1+ will debut on January 8. It will be about “the first completely free French streaming platform”. It will be available on the Web, but also and above all on connected televisions (Android TV, Samsung, LG, Hisense, Philips or Fire TV) and on TV boxes from Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom in the form of an application , alongside Netflix and Prime Video. No news, however, regarding Free or Canal+, with which the group maintains somewhat tense relations, both having opposed the merger of M6 and TF1.
TF1+: a streaming service entirely financed by advertising
One of the big differences of this new platform compared to MyTF1 concerns the availability of content. While programs can be caught up for seven days on the replay service, it increases to a minimum of thirty days on TF1+ and can last up to forty-eight months. In terms of content, Rodolphe Belmer announces that more than 15,000 hours of TV programs will be offered free of charge on TF1+. “You will find previous seasons of our series and shows like Koh Lanta Or The Voicebut also exclusive programs”explains the boss of the television group. “We will offer 200 family films, 200 series and TF1+ will integrate the first on-demand information offering, Top Info. The news of the day will be in-depth with formats of 3 to 6 minutes produced by our editorial staff. TF1+ must be a generalist platform and citizen”. The audiovisual group therefore also intends to offer original content. He has already announced the return of his series More beautiful on Friday from January 8.
On the innovation side, the platform will offer the Top Chrono service, a function capable of generating tailor-made summaries, based on the duration chosen by the user. “It will be able to synthesize a match of the French team depending on the duration chosen by the spectator. We tested it successfully during the Rugby World Cup”, specifies Rodolphe Belmer. In addition, TF1+ will offer, from March, a recommendation algorithm for joint listening. “It’s a global innovation (…), you just have to select the profiles of people watching television to have suitable suggestions. This also makes it possible to calibrate the type of advertisements broadcast. The group has invested in data and advertising technologies to provide the best possible experience for our viewers and advertising clients.”. TF1’s objective is to achieve, within three years, a double-digit market share thanks to “competitive commercial offers (€15 per CPM) compared to Netflix or Disney.” The CEO states that MyTF1’s market share in digital video advertising is currently 4.5%. According to group resultsdigital represented 90 million turnover in 2022, compared to 1.6 billion euros for linear television.
TF1 promises that its service will be completely free and financed by advertising. However, we do not yet know what the details of this advertising display are – will the advertising take place before the launch of a program or will there be regular interruptions? What will become of MyTF1 Max, the paid formula presented as an extension of the classic free replay service launched in November 2021? Still, many people have fled linear television due to the overabundance of advertisements. But advertising finally seems to be making a comeback, as evidenced by the new Netflix and Disney+ subscriptions.