The 6 p.m. curfew and the widespread development of teleworking have weighed heavily on radio listening in France.
The reason for this is the drop in the number of car trips, either to get to and from work, or to travel on weekends.
This drop in mobile listening, which accounts for 40% of the total audience, explains the disappointing results of this audience wave.
It mainly explains the fall of the radio medium in general which loses 2.15 million listeners in one year.
Is it a real lack of love for radio?
No, because at the same time the consumption of Podcast has exploded.
Between March 2020 and March 2021, it jumped 20%, to 88 million plays or downloads.
Habits change with confinements.
Held at home, the French listen less to the radio live and more delayed.
But they still listen to radio content.
GPs struggling
According to figures published this morning by Médiamétrie, all general interest stations saw their cumulative audiences severely affected between January and March.
They note that from 6 p.m., their hearings plunge, curfew obliges.
However, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. is the third highlight of the day for general practitioners.
Even France Inter, now alone in the lead (last year, the public station was still neck and neck with RTL) lost listeners.
Its cumulative audience reached 12.3%, down 0.5 point over one year, or 6.73 million listeners, and the audience share rose to 13.3%.
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The habits of the French have been very disrupted and the media is not doing well.
But France Inter has good results in audience share especially on the morning and especially on the 19h-20h.
It is the fruit of the ecosystem set up two years ago around the antenna, the digital, the publishing which widely shines the Inter brand ”
explains Laurence Bloch director of France Inter.
During the same period RTL stumbled more heavily, with a cumulative audience down 1.5 points to 10.5%, but its audience share rose to 12.4%.
In one year, the station lost 787,000 listeners to reach 5.77 million.
RMC is in the same trend, with a drop of 0.6 points to 5.8% of cumulative audience, its lowest level for five years.
The station of the Alice group is looking for itself.
Karim Nedjari arrived in March, is the fourth boss of the station in four years.
Europe 1 consoles itself by saying that it has suffered less than its little comrades.
Its cumulative audience is barely 5% (-0.4 point over one year).
In the midst of the reconstruction project, the resort finds notes of optimism.
“The listening time is progressing well, which reflects a certain loyalty among our listeners.
And our two new programs Stéphane Bern and Matthieu Noël in the afternoon and Julian Bugier at 6 pm to 8 pm are gaining listeners ”
explains Constance Benqué, Managing Director of Lagardère News.
France Info is progressing
On the other hand, the France Info station saw its results increase strongly, with a gain of 1.5 points in one year to 8.9% of cumulative audience.
The station is now firmly established in the third position of the most listened to radio stations in France.
It gives the pulse of the interest of the French for information.
A year ago, before the confinement in March, the news was calm and the station weak.
The beginnings of the pandemic, its share of anxieties, medical and political decisions had brought the audience up to 9.5% at the end of 2020. At the start of 2021, it remains quite high .
“The French need info and more specifically France Info.
They come looking for reliable and quality information, ”
explains Jean-Philippe Baille, the new manager of the station.
In this context, France Culture is continuing its path with an increase of 0.1 point to 2.9% of cumulative audience.
