French broadcasters close ranks with anti-Netflix merger

FILE PHOTO: A view shows French television networks TF1 headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, France, February 18, 2021. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - France's two biggest private broadcasters are closing ranks to fend off the meteoric rise of U.S. streaming platforms, hoping the desire for a national champion that can take on global video-on-demand giants will trump domestic antitrust concerns.

Announcing their merger on Monday, TF1 and M6 stressed their move was a response to the accelerating challenges from global platforms, saying the deal was critical to ensure the long-term independence of French content creation.