The new carriage deal between TF1 and Netflix is a partnership that could help both companies retain a strong kids audience—and it’s likely the first of many similar deals to come. 

British researcher The Insights Family provided Kidscreen with recent kids viewership data spanning platforms operated by both companies. It also shared insights on why yesterday’s groundbreaking deal that will see Netflix carry TF1’s live channels and on-demand content for all of its subscribers in France makes sense as a way to keep ahead of other kids content competitors. 

One of the firm’s top takeaways is that TF1 and Netflix are complementary partners because both are already top destinations for French kids and teens. Their businesses can also support each other—TF1 has strong local content, while Netflix’s tech-forward platform has proven it can keep kids engaged. 

On the viewership front, in the last three months (March 1 to June 18), 49% of kids between the ages of three and 12 watched Netflix, and 33% of them watched TF1. These numbers are similar among teens (53% for Netflix versus 39% for TF1). 

Kids use the platforms for different reasons though, and this is where TF1 can really benefit from the deal, according to The Insights Family. Kids are likely watching TF1 because of its availability and the fact that it’s familiar to the whole family, compared to those watching Netflix, who do so because it has a wide range of content and is available on multiple devices. 

But when it comes to French kids’ favorite channels and platforms, Netflix and TF1 are in a tight race with players like Disney+, Gulli and, of course, YouTube. Among kids ages three to 12, Netflix is the most-watched platform, and TF1 is number three (with YouTube sitting between them). For teens, meanwhile, Netflix and TF1 are in top two spots, respectively. 

Pooling their popularity should help both businesses stay ahead of their competitors, consolidate audience share and win the battle for kids’ screen time, says The Insights Family. 

While this first-of-its-kind deal is a new sort of partnership, it isn’t a major surprise, says Adam Woodgate, the firm’s VP of research solutions. Since it proves that streamers and legacy broadcasters can complement each other, he expects this partnership will be the first of many more alliances along the same lines. 

“As more of these deals happen, it feels like streamers are going to become the multichannel operators that once generated billions for cable companies,” says Woodgate. “Engagement reduces churn [users unsubscribing and resubscribing to streaming services], which is a key component of the lifetime value of a customer. How does this benefit both sides of the deal? The subscriber lifetime value benefit will likely accrue to Netflix, but the additional ad sales revenues, from the additional eyeballs, will likely benefit TF1.”

But perhaps the biggest opportunity for TF1 would be its chance to be exposed to a whole generation of cord-cutters, Woodgate says. “Its brands become available to audiences young and old that may never access TV via an antenna.” 

Image by Venti Views via Unsplash.