Time Won’t Tell - It Just Gets In The Way

Michael Hedges April 19, 2018 Follow on Twitter

Patience has no virtue in the digital age. This is certainly the case for traditional media operators. Money and talent conflicts with time. The more spent, the quicker time runs out. And the long-tail easily falls from the chameleon.

Audience estimates from French measurement institute Médiamétrie for the January through March period appeared (April 19) rather boring at first glance. Top national channels remained on top, middle ranks moved around a bit and the bottom stayed put. It was winter season, weather was quite miserable and most big news was far from France. A different storm was brewing.

Steady as a rock, RTL remains the top ranked French national radio channel. Its market share rose to 13.2% from 12.6% year on year and its best showing in ten years. Public channel France Inter is still number two, 11.5% market share, down slightly from 11.0%. Regional public network France Bleu and variety-talk channel RMC tied for 3rd place; France Bleu up a bit, RMC down a bit. Hit music channel NRJ held fifth spot; 5.5% market share, down from 6.1%.

After several years of turbulence - and a year of new management - Europe 1 fell to 6th spot; 5.3% market share, down from 6.2% one year on. Hours after the official release of the national radio results, reports surfaced, first from mashable.fr (April 19), that Lagardère Group had severed its relationship with top executives at Europe 1 plus the morning show host. Rumors to that effect had been swirling since the weekend. Out are general director Frédéric Schlesinger, program director Emmanuel Perreau, deputy director John Beghin and morning host Patrick Cohen.

In March chief executive Arnaud Lagardère announced a broad “spring cleaning,” possibly exiting long held publishing and broadcasting assets. In the course of the last week, remaining Eastern European radio assets were sold to a Czech investment house. That was followed by “exclusive negotiations” with the same investor to acquire several Lagardère magazine titles. Everything except Europe 1, Paris Match and JDD, said reports, are on the table. (See more about media in France here) The other Lagardère Active French national radio channels - RFM and Virgin Radio - were unchanged or slightly lower.

The big winner in the January-March national audience estimates was iconic oldies channel Nostalgie (NRJ Group); 4.8% market share, from 3.9% year on year. It’s the best showing for Nostalgie in eight years. Fun Radio (RTL Group), France Info (Radio France) and Skyrock took 8th, 9th and 10th, respectively, either no change or slight loss in market share. (See French national radio audience share trend charts here)

On aggregate, market shares for public and commercial channels were slightly up, dragging from independent/local stations and “other.” Total listening reach dropped year on year to 79.5% from 80.2% and average time spent listening was one minute longer.

See also in ftmKnowledge

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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