TF1 keeps the lead of the podium.
The channel remained at the top of audiences in 2020 but lost further ground, the news channels proving to be the big winners in an exceptional year marked by the health crisis, an increase in the time spent in front of the small screen and a fall in advertising revenue.
Read also: Emmanuel Macron got his hands on the best TV audiences of 2020
According to data published on Monday by Médiamétrie, the overall television viewing time, which takes into account viewing on all screens (telephone, computer, etc.), in catch-up and away from home, amounted to 3h58 per day on average for the past year, an increase of 18 minutes compared to 2019, favored in particular by confinements.
As for the channels, the podium remains unchanged, with TF1 on the highest step.
But with an audience share (pda) of 19.2%, all categories of viewers combined, the front page recorded a decline of 0.3 point compared to 2019, when it fell for the first time below the 20 mark. %.
A decline that its managing director of content, Ara Aprikian, wishes to put into perspective: TF1 has
"progressed on all targets under 50"
and garnered
"3.5 million additional daily viewers"
, he said.
"We managed to make a lot of savings - 138 million euros over the first nine months, for example by rebroadcasting programs - to absorb the shock of the crisis"
and the fall in advertising revenues,
"while preparing for the future, ”he
told AFP.
And the One, whose flagship Koh-Lanta program has fascinated millions of confined viewers, still arrogates to 74 of the 100 most viewed programs in 2020, according to data transmitted by the channel.
Macron king of audiences
In an exceptional year, atypical record: the broadcasts of the speeches of President Emmanuel Macron, in the context of the health crisis, broadcast on TF1 and France 2, alone total 18 of the best audiences of the year that should have punctuated the Euro football or the Olympics.
His speech of April 13 was followed by 36.7 million viewers (14.6 million on TF1, 11.1 million on France 2), an absolute record.
France 2 retains its second place with a pda of 14.1% (+0.2 point), ahead of France 3, which gained 0.1 point to 9.4%.
The two public service channels combine the 26 other most viewed programs, including the French series “Capitaine Marleau”, with Corinne Masiero.
M6 arrives at the foot of the podium (+0.1 point at 9%) at the end of
“an exceptional year”
and with 100 million euros in savings on the group's programs (which also includes W9, 6ter, Gulli) , welcomed the vice-chairman of the management board, Thomas Valentin.
It is ahead of France 5 (-0.1 point to 3.5%), TMC (-0.1 point to 3%) and ARTE (+0.3 point to 2.9%, a record), tied with BFMTV (+0.6 point to 2.9%) which claims a
“historic record”
and
“12.5 million viewers per day”
.
Strong growth for non-stop news channels
Driven by the appetite of the French for exceptional news, the 24-hour news channel is the fastest growing in the audiovisual landscape, as does CNews, where controversial figures such as Eric Zemmour officiate, who also wins 0.6 points for become the second channel of its kind with 1.4% of sales.
Relegated to third place, LCI gained 0.2 points to reach a record 1.2%, like Franceinfo (0.7%).
Among the other channels, Canal + posted a 1.2% pda, down 0.1 point.
C8 and its flagship host Cyril Hanouna continue to lose ground against TMC and Yann Barthès, with a pda down 0.3 points to 2.6%, and find themselves neck and neck with W9 (+0, 1 point at 2.6%).
Apart from RMC Découverte, stable at 2.3%, no other chain exceeds 2% pda.
France 4, whose shutdown was postponed for a year this summer and which was illustrated by its educational programs during the closure of schools, recorded a drop of 0.4 point to 1.2%.
By groups, France Télévisions remains in the lead with 28.8% pda (-0.1 point) ahead of TF1 (TF1, TMC, TFX, TF1 Séries Films and LCI) at 26.8% (-0.4 point) and M6 (M6, 6Ter, W9 and Gulli), up 0.1 point to 14.6%.