Rodolphe Belmer has made the case for TF1 Group as “the free entertainment reference for French citizens on TV and in streaming.” Talking during a Lille Dialogue keynote session here at Series Mania, the TF1 CEO said the growth of streaming services, especially Netflix, meant linear networks such as his group needed to double down on their cultural strengths to reach viewers.
Several times he referenced the need to create content based around “heroes” and cultural figures, adding: “The editorial line is to promote French popular culture.” Belmer, a Netflix board member, provided an analysis of the TV and streaming market during his talk.
He claimed international SVOD service Netflix remained firmly established in the subscription market as rivals such have pivoted back towards major franchises and owned IP to offset streaming losses. “Netflix is a huge and remarkable success but the development of SVOD has shown other players have penetrated the market,” he said.
His analysis was the subscription streaming market would continue to slow but ultimately keep growing at a smaller rate. “We have to differentiate ourselves,” he said.
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