Streamers Join Forces With TV Networks—Here’s Why

turned-on flat screen television
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters

By India McCarty

Streamers have long been thought to be the death of network TV, but these days, it looks like the two industries have buried the hatchet.

“You can be at the center of it, or beholden to others,” Guy Bisson, research director and co-founder of the UK’s Ampere Analysis, told Deadline of the new partnerships between streaming platforms and networks.

For example, the landmark deal struck between Netflix and French network TF1 earlier this year, giving the streamer unprecedented access to their content. The rollout is set to start mid-2026.

Amazon Prime made a similar deal with France Télévisions, which their CEO, Delphine Ernotte Cunci, called a “historic milestone,” via CSI Magazine. “We are very happy to make france.tv accessible to all Prime Video users,” her statement reads.

“With this unprecedented distribution model, our group reaches a historic milestone to enhance the visibility of its public service offering, thus allowing all audiences to rediscover and discover the unique richness of france.tv in new environments.”

Meanwhile, Netflix has made a deal with Middle Eastern entertainment company MBC, and Disney+ recently signed a branding deal with UK’s ITV, Germany’s ZDF Studios, and Spain’s Altresmedia that allows them to share their content with each other.

“We are right on the cusp of the gates opening towards more of these deals,” Bisson told Deadline.

In a statement shared with Variety, Disney+ EMEA general manager Karl Holmes spoke about the company’s deal with ITV.

“It’s really powerful for us and will help drive consideration in a demo which hasn’t considered as much under our sign ups,” he explained. “And at the same time, we get some of the U.K.’s biggest shows to put in front of our younger audience. And it does the same for ITV in reverse. It all works because of the complementarity of the audiences.”

However, Dan Rayburn, a streaming industry analyst, explained that Netflix has made it clear these deals are “experimental.”

“Right away, people thought Netflix was getting into the live TV linear business and would be cutting deals left and right,” he told Deadline.

“Netflix made it very clear that a deal like this is to learn, and part of the reason it is in France is because of the demand and the relatively small footprint. They called out and set proper expectations of the market. Three years down the line, maybe they cut another deal like that.”

Many of these deals are still in the beginning stages. Time will tell if streamers and network television organizations can finally work together.

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