“To think that there are barely more than ten years, the public service started its evenings at 8:45 pm…” sighs a former head of TV channel.
Because it's a small revolution: in the programs from January 8 to 14, 2022, which the broadcasters announced on Tuesday, the (official) schedule for the start of prime time for several channels is changing, to be systematically shifted by 5 minutes.
The France 5 evening will start at 9 p.m., that of CStar at 9:05 p.m.
As for TF 1, France 2, France 3 and Culturebox, they will take the air in the first part of the evening at 9:10 p.m.
"No change of bonus time, but schedule details for each channel," says one on the side of France Televisions.
No change, however, for the others.
“But the position could change,” we slip behind the scenes.
Only Canal + should not budge, its encrypted range starting systematically - and almost without delay - at 9 p.m. every evening.
“Sometimes the film starts after 9:30 pm!
"
If the programs of these chains are now announced a little later, this should however not change anything for the televiewer, accustomed to delays. In mid-December, the CSA made an inventory of the schedule (never respected) for the launch of the first parties of the evening. With a delay of 3 minutes and 54 seconds on average during the third week of September 2021, against 2 minutes and 33 seconds in November 2019. "The regulator notes a relaxation of efforts on the part of certain branches", thus note the Wise Men. .
And for good reason: five channels posted a 5-minute overrun on the announced schedule.
TF 1 and TMC even exceed 7 minutes.
The second is even the one whose film, series, magazine or entertainment starts the latest, with a credits launched at 9:22 p.m.!
More than twenty minutes after France 5, best student in the class!
“And sometimes the film starts after 9:30 pm!
»Annoys a competitor.
"C to you", "Do not touch my post" and "Daily" overflow regularly
For some channels - notably France 5, C8 and TMC - this wait is due to the pre-evening program.
Because "C à vous", "Touche pas à mon poste" and "Quotidien", offered live or with a very slight delay, regularly overflow.
Where short programs or other competitive series display very specific durations.
It is then advertising that takes precedence, with the highest price of the day just after 9 p.m. Spots whose prices vary greatly, but which can reach 100,000 euros 30 seconds before a particularly watched program! “Because it is the moment when there are the most people in front of the television, so we make the most of the profit, slips within the framework of a private channel. And the public service is lining up so that everyone is roughly on the same starting line. "
But this does not go without annoying viewers. Young and old alike regularly rail against these systematic delays, whether by a simple message on social networks or a letter sent to channels or to the competent authority. The Superior council of audio-visual thus says itself “regularly challenged” on this subject. "The viewers' complaints relate to two reasons: on the one hand, the gradual slippage, over the years, of the early evening hours of television programs and, on the other hand, the recurring delays with regard to the times announced in the press and on the Internet ”, notes the supervisory authority.
Still, the audiovisual policeman remains rather powerless on these subjects.
"The channels are free to compose their grid as they wish," admits the CSA.
On the other hand, they must respect the provisions present in their agreement for private channels and the specifications and duties of France Télévisions, which provide that the channels respect, subject to the constraints inherent in the broadcasting of live broadcasts, the previously announced schedules.
"The regulator also promises a new progress point" during the first half of 2022 ".
