As a guest of the Association of Economic and Financial Journalists (Ajef) and the SERIESMANIA Forum, Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of TF1, repeatedly mentioned the simultaneous launch of TF1+ in 27 French-speaking African countries (Maghreb and sub-Saharan French-speaking Africa) starting in June 2025.
"In the audiovisual sector, size is key because it allows us to amortize content. We are also seeking this scale effect to finance them sustainably and establish our undisputed superiority by extending our footprint beyond France: by making TF1+ the leading free premium streaming platform in the French-speaking world," he explained, continuing, "… Our aim is to extend this cultural community to the French-speaking world, confident in the ability of our programs to generate interest throughout this region. Our rollout in French-speaking Africa starting in June is part of this strategy. The economic challenges will come later."
TF1's vision contrasts sharply with that of other groups that focus on "immediate profitability" and often abandon the field after a few years.
There are indeed many specific characteristics and obstacles in French-speaking Africa, and integrating and overcoming them will require sustained effort.
- Internet access is still limited in many countries, even though efforts are being made everywhere to improve the situation.
- People's tastes are shifting toward local content, which is becoming more abundant and better produced.
- The level of advertising investment remains relatively low in many countries due to a lack of real market structure.
- France's loss of prestige is affecting many countries, and we are witnessing the relative decline of the French-speaking world and the development of local languages.
Faced with this situation, TF1 nevertheless has many assets that will enable it to succeed in the long term:
- A catalog of nearly 20,000 hours of programming, including local programs designed to spark interest in each country and encourage viewers to discover the rest of the content on offer.
- Undeniable expertise in marketing and advertising sales
- Significant financial power enabling the funding of high-quality programs that are more spectacular in terms of production value.
- A comprehensive approach to dealing with the geopolitical uncertainties in the region.
With its ambition to make TF1+ a major player in premium free streaming in French-speaking Africa, the TF1 group, already present in Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxembourg, is consolidating its strategy of covering the entire French-speaking world.
Its financial clout, the quality and diversity of its content, and its medium- and long-term vision are the guarantees of success for this ambitious strategic venture.