France's leading commercial broadcaster TF1 is exploring a sale of its production and distribution arm Studio TF1, just 18 months after rebranding the business, Variety has confirmed. TF1 has hired Rothschild to run an early-stage sale process, with the unit reportedly valued at around €400 million, as chief executive Rodolphe Belmer shifts the group's focus and investment towards streaming and content aggregation rather than costly, risky production ventures.

Studio TF1, formerly known as Newen, was acquired by TF1 in 2015 and grew into one of France's largest independent production groups, spanning more than 50 companies across 12 territories and producing 3,750 hours of programming in 2025, including hit soaps such as "Tomorrow is Ours" and "Here It All Begins". The potential sale comes as TF1 reported a 9.9% drop in first-half revenue to €993 million and a fall in operating profit to €77 million, while Studio TF1 itself posted a €4 million operating loss; the unit had also recently pushed into film, launching theatrical distribution and releasing "Good Vibes Only", which sold over 700,000 tickets. TF1 declined to comment on the reported sale.