TF1 to launch TF1+ streaming platform in 22 African countries
The deal is also part of Belmer's strategy to transform the group's AVOD platform, TF1+, into a global brand, with its African launch set for the end of the month.
French broadcaster TF1 has announced plans to expand its free ad-supported streaming service, TF1+, into 22 French-speaking African countries starting June 30, 2025. This strategic expansion follows the platform's previous rollouts in Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland, marking a significant step in TF1's ambition to become a dominant entertainment player across the French-speaking world.
Speaking to Variety, TF1 CEO Rodolphe Belmer said the goal is to position TF1+ as the leading entertainment platform in these new markets. The move places TF1 in direct competition with Canal+, which already has a strong presence in Francophone Africa and is currently extending its footprint into English-speaking markets through its acquisition of MultiChoice.
In addition to geographic expansion, TF1 is set to introduce a new micro-payment model for TF1+, aimed at diversifying its revenue streams beyond traditional linear and digital advertising. Inspired by mobile gaming economics, the system will allow viewers to choose between ad-supported and ad-free viewing options on a per-episode basis. This will launch in France on September 1. As Belmer explained, audiences will have the flexibility to watch flagship programmes such as Koh-Lanta either with commercials or without, depending on their preference.
TF1's push for innovation also made headlines last week with the surprise announcement that Netflix subscribers in France will soon have access to live TF1 channels and on-demand content from TF1+ directly through the Netflix platform. Although Belmer declined to offer specific details on the partnership, he confirmed that the deal will help extend TF1's reach within the advertising market.
With these moves, TF1 is signaling a clear intent to broaden its international footprint and adapt to evolving viewer preferences while tapping into new monetisation models and strategic partnerships.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Dubai Eye
2 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
Rwanda, Congo sign peace deal in US to end fighting, attract investment
Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo signed a US-brokered peace agreement on Friday, raising hopes for an end to fighting that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year. The agreement marks a breakthrough in talks held by US President Donald Trump's administration and aims to attract billions of dollars of Western investment to a region rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals. At a ceremony with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, the two African countries' foreign ministers signed the agreement pledging to implement a 2024 deal that would see Rwandan troops withdraw from eastern Congo within 90 days, according to a copy seen by Reuters. Kinshasa and Kigali will also launch a regional economic integration framework within 90 days, the agreement said. "They were going at it for many years... it is one of the worst wars that anyone has ever seen. And I just happened to have somebody that was able to get it settled," Trump said on Friday, ahead of the signing of the deal in Washington. "We're getting, for the United States, a lot of the mineral rights from the Congo as part of it." Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe called the agreement a turning point. Congo Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner said it must be followed by disengagement. Trump later met both officials in the Oval Office, where he presented them with letters inviting Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame to Washington to sign a package of agreements that Massad Boulos, Trump's senior adviser for Africa, dubbed the "Washington Accord". Nduhungirehe told Trump that past deals had not been implemented and urged Trump to stay engaged. Trump warned of "very severe penalties, financial and otherwise", if the agreement is violated. Rwanda has sent at least 7,000 soldiers over the border, according to analysts and diplomats, in support of the M23 rebels, who seized eastern Congo's two largest cities and lucrative mining areas in a lightning advance earlier this year. The gains by M23, the latest cycle in a decades-old conflict with roots in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, sparked fears that a wider war could draw in Congo's neighbours. ECONOMIC DEALS Boulos told Reuters in May that Washington wanted the peace agreement and accompanying minerals deals to be signed simultaneously this summer. Rubio said on Friday that heads of state would be "here in Washington in a few weeks to finalise the complete protocol and agreement". However, the agreement signed on Friday gives Congo and Rwanda three months to launch a framework "to expand foreign trade and investment derived from regional critical mineral supply chains". A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday that another agreement on the framework would be signed by the heads of state at a separate White House event at an unspecified time. There is an understanding that progress in ongoing talks in Doha - a separate but parallel mediation effort with delegations from the Congolese government and M23 - is essential before the signing of the economic framework, the source said. The agreement signed on Friday voiced "full support" for the Qatar-hosted talks. It also says Congo and Rwanda will form a joint security coordination mechanism within 30 days and implement a plan agreed last year to monitor and verify the withdrawal of Rwandan soldiers within three months. Congolese military operations targeting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Congo-based armed group that includes remnants of Rwanda's former army and militias that carried out the 1994 genocide, are meant to conclude over the same timeframe.
Al Etihad
4 hours ago
- Al Etihad
TRENDS to hold France session on stopping Brotherhood funding in Europe, launch Paris virtual office
28 June 2025 10:39 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)TRENDS Research & Advisory is continuing to expand its international presence by launching a new virtual office in Paris, the French capital. The office aims to serve as a platform for intellectual exchange between the Arab and Francophone launch of the office coincides with the second session of the international symposium, held in the form of a workshop, and titled 'Toward Concerted Efforts to Stop the Financing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities'. It will be held on Monday, June 30, 2025 in Salle Monory at the headquarters of the French Senator Nathalie Goulet and Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS Research & Advisory, will open the event. They will highlight the importance of Europe–Arab cooperation in addressing critical challenges related to the financing of extremist Wael Saleh, Political Islam Affairs Advisor and Director of TRENDS in Canada, and Senator Nathalie Goulet will moderate the workshop. It will address several topics, including the structure of financing networks, obstacles to halting financial flows, and a European road map for confronting the phenomenon.A panel of European and Arab experts and officials will participate in the session, including Laure Anas Renaud, representative of the French Financial Intelligence Unit; Dr. Khalifa Al Dhaheri, Director of the Mohammed bin Zayed University for the Humanities; Mr. Ali Faisal Ba'Alawi, Head of the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit and Representative of the Executive Office to Combat Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing; François Volpoet, Director of Chain Spy; Levi Vial, Director of the Centre for University Studies in France; Hamad Al Hosani, researcher and Head of the Political Islam Studies Section at TRENDS; as well as researchers Shamsa Al Qubaisi and Shaikha Al-Nuaimi.'The launch of our virtual office in Paris represents a pivotal strategic step toward strengthening intellectual and knowledge-based communication between the Arab world and the Francophone world,' Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS Research & Advisory, said.'We believe that this office will be a vital platform for exchanging ideas and visions on common global issues, especially those related to combating the financing of extremist groups,' he added, pointing out that this step comes in conjunction with holding the second session of our important international symposium on stopping the financing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe. The move confirms TRENDS' commitment to strengthening cooperation in confronting security and intellectual challenges. Dr. Muhammad Al-Ali emphasised that through this new presence, TRENDS aims to monitor and analyse French knowledge and production, convey visions of the Arab world to this vital space, and contribute to formulating effective policies for a safer and more stable future. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Gulf Business
5 hours ago
- Gulf Business
Missed Messages? WhatsApp's new feature helps you catch up instantly
Image credit: Getty Images WhatsApp has announced a new feature designed to help users quickly catch up on unread conversations. The tool, called Message Summaries, leverages Meta AI to provide concise overviews of unread messages—without compromising user privacy. Whether returning from a Wi-Fi-free flight or juggling multiple chats during a busy day, users can now rely on Message Summaries to get up to speed quickly. The summaries are generated privately using Meta's Private Processing technology, which ensures that neither WhatsApp nor Meta can access message content or the summaries themselves. Read- 'No one else in the chat will know you've used the feature,' the company said in a statement. 'Your privacy is protected at all times.' Message Summaries are entirely optional and turned off by default. Users have full control over the feature, including the ability to enable it only for selected chats via the Advanced Chat Privacy settings. The feature is currently rolling out in English to users in the United States, with plans to expand to more languages and regions later this year. For those interested in how Private Processing works, Meta has published an This announcement follows Unlike traditional calls, starting a voice chat does not notify or ring other members. Instead, users can join and leave the ongoing conversation at their convenience. The voice chat remains pinned to the bottom of the group chat for easy access to call controls and participant visibility. Previously limited to large groups, the feature is now available to all group sizes. Users can start a voice chat by swiping up from the bottom of the chat window and holding for a few seconds. As with all WhatsApp communications, voice chats are protected by end-to-end encryption, ensuring privacy and security.
