More than a month after the start of confinement, the French interest in information remains at an exceptional level. According to CMPA data, the number of online media visits was on average 57% above normal for the week of April 14 to 21.
Admittedly, this rate is starting to dull. During the week of March 16, marking the start of containment, the average number of visits to news sites had jumped 111%, to one billion clicks. This growth rose to + 86% in the second week (892 million visits), + 79% in the third week (862 million visits), and + 70% in the fourth week (816 million visits). If the fifth week seems, all things considered, to begin a slowdown, it is a safe bet that the appetite of the French will start to rise again during this sixth week with the announcements of Edouard Philippe on deconfinement.
During the week of April 14 to 21, the most visited news site was that of the World , with 54 million visits, twice as much as normal. Follows Le Figaro , which jumped 69% with 50.6 million visits. Franceinfo closes the “top 3” with 50.2 million visits (+ 88%).
CMPA data also helps identify information sites with the highest audience growth. Courrier International thus displays 5.2 million visits over the week from April 14 to 21. Or three times more than normal! Le Journal du Dimanche also tripled its audience, to 2.8 million visits compared to 920,000 usually, as did France Inter and its 9.2 million visits. The L'Obs and Le Point newsmagazines are also on the rise with 14 million visits each, ie 164% and 125% more than before confinement.
Growth in digital subscriptions
The regional media are not to be outdone. Ouest-France has the fourth best national audience with 44 million visits (+ 64%). Its competitor Le Télégramme jumped 88% to 4.8 million visits, a rate similar to that of the Dispatch with 15 million clicks. In terms of triple- digit growth, Corse Matin soared by 183% (1.3 million visits), La Provence by 159% (8.9 million) and the Reunion site Zinfos974 by 114% (1.2 million visits) .
These rarely seen frequentations will not, unfortunately, translate into an increase in advertising revenue, the majority of advertisers having canceled their campaigns in the media. But what about digital subscriptions? Again, the data from the CMPA-OJD is enlightening. In March alone, Le Monde gained 8,000 digital subscribers, for a total of 225,000 subscribers. Le Figaro attracted 7000, for a total of 133,000 subscribers, a number similar to that of the Parisian which goes from 23,000 to 30,000 digital subscriptions. Liberation progresses by 3000 subscriptions (total: 22,000) and Les Echos by 2000 (total: 54,000).
These figures are actually underestimated. The ACPM only takes into account readers paying a full digital subscription, or with a limited discount. Trial offers at 1 euro per month are therefore not counted. We will have to wait a little longer to know the number of French converted into subscribers in the long term.