Broadcaster Punished, Takes Market Over Cliff

Michael Hedges July 15, 2016 Follow on Twitter

It is a mad pursuit, the quest for bigger audience. Competitive strategy is defined by risk-taking. Passing through one goal post in search of another is grand success. Still, the means often entail blue smoke and mirrors. Everything is now virtual.

French media measurement institute Médiamétrie went about its quarterly duties this week and released the April-June 2016 national radio audience estimates. Much changed, other than that; some in the results, some elsewhere. One chapter in the “Fun-Gate” saga is now closed.

Audience estimates for RTL Group’s national dance music channel Fun Radio were not published, punishment for distorting the measurement. The Fun Radio morning show crew repeatedly called - on-air - for people being interviewed by Médiamétrie to provide false listening information. Naughty. And it’s contrary to contractual agreements between broadcasters and Médiamétrie for obvious reasons.

Audience estimates for the previous January - March 2016 period, during which the act of wanton self-promotion took place, were revised, According to some reports, 300 interviews out of about 32,750 were tossed, all results recalculated. The “corrected” January-March 2016 results did not include Fun Radio.

Top line results from the April-May 2016 period, corrections accepted, were painful. Total national radio listening dropped to 79.1% of the French population (persons 13 years and older, Monday through Friday), down a full 2% year on year and the lowest since 2002. Private commercial broadcasters took the brunt, down 2.6% on aggregate, public broadcaster Radio France channels far less, community stations hardly any change.

Leading the April-May 2016 national audience estimates are, mostly, the same major radio brands. RTL, owned by RTL Group, is again the leader with 12.9% market share, up from 11.8% year on year and the channel’s best showing in eight years. Public news-talk channel France Inter held second place with 10.9% market share, up from 8.8%, best in more than a decade. Public all-news channel France Info was also up, 3.3% market share from 3.0%. Breaking news through the period began with the Panama Papers leaks and the sudden passing of pop music legend Prince in April, continuing in May with the EgyptAir disaster and historic flooding in France and on to the UEFA Euro 2016 football championships hosted in France. (See French national radio audience trend chart here)

Not all of the speech-based radio brands fared well. Europe 1, still challenged by show host issues, dropped to 7.0% market share from 7.6%. Business news and sports-talk channel RMC fell to 6.2% market share from 6.6% year on year. Regional public network France Bleu was lower on aggregate to 5.9% market share from 6.2%.

Several music brands took a tumble, some painfully. NRJ dropped to 6.7% market share and number 4 nationally from 7.4% and number 3 one year on. Sister brand Cherie FM crashed to 2.4% market share from 3.0%. and Nostalgie was lower at 4.1% market share from 4.3%. Skyrock, RFM, and RTL2 were also lower. Médiamétrie scolded but did not punish RFM, owned by Lagardère Active, for infractions similar to those of the Fun Radio morning show. The only notable gainer was, inexplicably, Virgin Radio with 3.0% market share up from 2.3%.

Further from the world of hits and DJ bombast, Radio Classique, France Culture and France Musique were all up.

Publication of the April-June 2016 audience estimates was preceded by a day in court for Fun Radio and RTL Group executives and their lawyers. They asked the Paris Commercial Court to stop Médiamétrie from issuing the “corrected” results. The judges dismissed the complaint finding Fun Radio and sales house IP France violated their contract with Médiamétrie and ordered payment of €5,000 court costs.

All the major complainants agreed to forgo the usual post-survey congratulatory press gaggles. Radio France director of programming Frédéric Schlesinger, however, summed up Fun-Gate simply. “The Fun Radio smokescreen launched by the losers shocks me,” he said, quoted by puremedias.com (July 13). “It’s the ideal excuse to say ‘our results are bad because of Fun (Radio). This is a joke. All those who launched this smokescreen precisely because they’ve long-suffered in the ratings.”

See also in ftmKnowledge

Europe's Radio - Western Europe

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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)

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