France’s TF1 eyes $461m sale of production and distribution division Studio TF1

French media giant TF1 Group is considering putting its production and distribution arm Studio TF1 on the block in a deal that could be worth up to €400m (US$461m).

Pierre Branco

According to Reuters, TF1 has appointed financial advisory group Rothschild to oversee any potential sale.

The move is said to be part of TF1’s strategy to focus on the streaming side of its business. A company spokesman said TF1 Group does not comment on market rumours or speculation.

Formerly known as Newen Studios prior to its rebrand in early 2025, Studio TF1 is run by CEO Pierre Branco. Located in Europe, the US and Canada, the division works across fiction and daily series as well as film, documentaries, magazine shows, animation and entertainment. TF1 is France’s biggest commercial TV network and is part of TF1 Group, which is controlled by the Bouygues conglomerate.

With subsidiaries in 12 countries across Europe and North America, Studio TF1’s footprint has made it a strategic production, sales and co-funding partner globally.

It produces almost 4,000 hours of content locally and is also home to a rights library of over 20,000 hours of content. Titles include odd-couple detective drama Cooper & Fry, coproduced with Clapperboard for 5 in the UK, Provence-set serial killer thriller Zodiac, and The Teacher.

Parent company TF1 Group has not been immune to the downturn in the global TV market. Run by CEO Rodolphe Belmer, it saw revenue drop by almost 10% to €993m, according to TF1’s first-half financial results.

Revenue from its media division slid nearly 11% to €869m, while Studio TF1 itself posted an operating loss of €4m.

Like many legacy media companies, TF1 has been attempting to pivot to a digital-first strategy. Last summer, it signed a landmark partnership with Netflix through which the streamer’s subscribers in France are able to access TF1’s content on the platform.

At that time, Belmer said: “As viewing habits shift towards on-demand consumption and audience fragmentation increases, this unprecedented alliance will enable our premium content to reach unparalleled audiences and unlock new reach for advertisers within an ecosystem that perfectly complements our TF1+ platform.”

Any potential sale of Studio TF1 would mirror the European market’s trend for consolidation, as companies seek scale to compete with global streamers and YouTube’s disruptive influence.

Last month Banijay and All3Media completed a US$8bn merger to create one of the world’s biggest independent content businesses. Comcast-owned Sky, meanwhile, has agreed to acquire ITV’s broadcasting and streaming arm for US$2.1bn.