It is a subject of recurring discontent among viewers.
For several years now, television channels have adopted the unfortunate habit of systematically starting the broadcasting of their prime time programs late.
This time drift is not the only source of annoyance.
Viewers also complain about the gap between the times announced by the TV channels in the press and the actual start of the programs.
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From this point of view, the situation does not seem to be improving. According to the latest findings of the Superior Audiovisual Council (CSA), carried out the third week of September, this difference is on average nearly 4 minutes. Five channels exceed the threshold of 5 minutes behind schedule. Among them, TF1 and TMC are even more than 7 minutes late! M6 and CStar are almost 6 minutes late, France 3 and RMC Découverte around 5 minutes. C8, NRJ 12, RMC Story, France 4 and France 2 oscillate between a little less than 4 minutes and a little more than 4 and a half minutes. W9 recorded a lag of around 3 minutes and 6Ter of 2 and a half minutes. Conversely, with less than a minute of delay, the channel L'Équipe is a good student of the class, just ahead of TFX and TF1 Séries Films.
Wakeup call
As the regulator specifies,
"the legal framework of the audio-visual one does not impose a precise timetable for the television programs: the chains are thus free to compose their schedule as they wish it".
On the other hand, they are required to respect the times that they have previously announced in TV magazines and on websites.
Nothing prevents them, therefore, to garner a maximum of publicity during this strategic crossroads of audience, to start their evening at a late hour.
In fact, the prime times for C8 and TMC, announced at 9:15 p.m., rarely start before 9:20 p.m.
By way of comparison, in 2014, the channels started their programs at 8:51 pm ...
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In spring 2019, the CSA had already taken up the subject.
The regulator had summoned the chain bosses to call them to order.
The following fall, he had achieved a positive result of his action: the average gap between the announced schedule of a program and its broadcast had been reduced to 2.5 minutes on average.
The good resolutions did not last long.
Noting a
"relaxation of the efforts",
since the delay is established at nearly 4 minutes today, the CSA therefore proceeds to a booster shot.
He will carry out
"new hourly readings in the first half of 2022"
to ensure that the chains are back on the right track.
