The Secret: One Thing

Michael Hedges January 14, 2015 Follow on Twitter

Ratings can be so cruel. Getting folks to tune in is difficult. Getting them to say the right things to survey interviewers even more so, or so it can seem. Losing is always a surprise, winning far too simple.

The grandee of French radio - RTL - held its top ranking firm, even gaining a bit, in the November-December Médiamétrie national audience estimates. The news-talk channel posted 11.7% audience share, up from 11.3% one year on. "It's simple," said RTL France CEO Christopher Baldelli, quoted by Le Figaro (January 14). "All our schedule is up." None of the other national general interest channels had much to celebrate.

Public channel France Inter, perennially number 2, moved not, unchanged with 9.5% audience share. Regional public network France Bleu moved into 5th place with 6.6% audience share, up slightly year on year from 6.4%. All-news public channel France Info was also unchanged at 3.4% audience share for 10th place.

The late-autumn was quite unkind to Europe 1, which fell to 7.2% audience share from 8.6% one year on. Indeed the whole of 2014 was a challenge for Lagardère's news-talk channel. After rebounding from a long slump, it seems to have slumped again. On-air personnel changes likely contributed as, we know, regular listeners tend to react. "I have every reason to believe they (the listeners) will come back," said Europe 1 managing director Fabien Namias, quoted by Le Monde (January 14).

Also burnt was RMC, falling to 6.3% from 6.9% year on year. A year ago - or so - both Europe 1 and RMC, which focuses on business news and sports-talk, appeared poised to break into the top ranks. Challengers seem to be challenged.

Another national channel to face disappointment was hit music NRJ, falling to 6.9% audience share from 7.4% one year on, remaining in 4th place. During the first half of 2014 NRJ seemed poised to break into the top three, reaching 7.8% audience share in the April-June 2014 audience estimates. It is by far the highest rated national music channel. The NRJ Group presser faulted "statistical randomness."

NRJ Group sister channel Nostalgie placed 7th in the national survey, down just a tad at 3.8%. Skyrock, once the nemesis of NRJ, ranked 8th with 3.7% audience share, up from 3.5%. Lagardère's Fun Radio, positioned somewhere between NRJ and Skyrock, posted 3.6% audience share, off slightly, for 9th place.

More movement came in the bottom half of the audience estimates, which often happens, though rankings were largely unchanged. Pop-rock RFM posted 3.3% audience share and 11th ranking, up from 3.0%. RTL2 jumped to 3.2% audience share from 2.7% year on year. Cherie FM was up, 2.9% audience share from 2.7% and Virgin Radio posted 2.2% audience share from 2.0%.

On the cultural side, Radio Classique was unchanged at 1.9%, France Culture was up to 1.6% and France Musiques was up to 1.3%. Regional station Alouette, serving western France, was rewarded as the only non-national station making the big list during the November-December survey period.

Overall reach for the period was slightly lower, 82.3% from 82.5%, but local radio watchers were delighted that quarter-to-quarter listening was up to more than 43.5 million folks. "Often the November-December surveys are good for radio," said Médiamétrie's Adélie Ménager, quoted by radio industry portal laletter.pro (January 14), who also observed that the September-October audience estimates were "atypical."

The statute-defined national general interest channels dropped, on aggregate, to 41.3% audience share Monday through Friday from 42.7% year on year while stature-defined music channels rose to 32.2% audience share from 31.7%. Results for local radio stations were up on aggregate to 14.5% audience share from 14.2%. Channels of public broadcaster Radio France rose on aggregate to 23.6% audience share from 22.8%, commercial radio channels and stations dropped to 71.2% from 72.5%, community stations were up slightly to 1.7% audience share and the foreboding "other" rose to 3.3% from 3.0%. Any seasonal effect for the different categories is hard to detect.

See also in ftmKnowledge

Europe's Radio - Western Europe

Opportunity meets tradition in Western Europe's radio broadcasting. Change has come fast and yet oh, so slowly. This ftm Knowledge file contains material and resources on public and private radio broadcasting in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Netherlands and Switzerland. 244 pages. Resources. PDF (September 2013)

Order here

Media in France

French audiences are moving fast to every new platform. Mobile and Web media challenges the old guard while rule makers seek new directions. Media life in France... and a few secrets. includes updated Resources 147 pages PDF (November 2011)

Order here