Change In Habits Make Folks Change Habits

Michael Hedges November 19, 2021 Follow on Twitter

Humans are creatures of habit. From philosophers to economists this has been long observed. Psychologists say our habits can make us happy. Disturbing those habits make us very cranky. Neuroscientists have found our habits - good and bad - live deep inside our brains. “Once these patterns form, it becomes extremely difficult to break the habit,” said one. This explains a lot.

Measurement institute Médiamétrie issued this week (November 18) national radio audience estimates for the September-October period. Trends revealed were not happy. Total reach and time spent listening fell, again. National commercial channels, with a couple of exceptions, were deserted by listeners while public radio channels, with their own exceptions, hung on. French media watchers admitted that listeners’ habits had changed, perhaps irreparably.

Total reach for the period was estimated at 74.2% of the 13-year plus population, dropping from 75.2% one year on. About 250,000 listeners disappeared. Estimated average time spent listening (Monday-Friday 5am-midnight) shed one minute. Five years ago (2017) total reach was 79.5%, average time spent listening 10 minutes greater. Those were different times.

“French radio stations seem paralyzed by this wave of disenchantment, incomprehensible when you know the intimate attachment of listeners to ‘their’ radio,” wrote the resolutely left-wing Libération (November 18). “Yes, the pandemic has shaken up habits, but it cannot be used as an excuse for a sector that is resting on slightly withered laurels.” The “main problem,” it said, is radio advertising “every ten minutes.”

Audience share, on aggregate, for private commercial and public radio channels is virtually unchanged year on year; 65.8% for private commercial channels from 65.9%, 29.4% for Radio France channels from 29.3%. Intrusive advertising alone doesn’t illuminate total reach declines. Five years ago those audience shares were 70.2% and 25.1%, respectively. Due to coronavirus restrictions Médiamétrie researchers made changes in methodologies including a name change to EAR (Étude Audience Radio).

“This change in our benchmark measurement is part of re-purposing a system based on a strong consensus, which allows the plurality and diversity of the French radio landscape to be taken into account throughout the territory, is at the heart of Médiamétrie's DNA,” said deputy chief executive Julien Rosanvallon, quoted by Letter Pro de la Radio (November 17). “Our desire (is) to listen to the market and support our clients in their decision-making at a time of transformation of the media ecosystem.”

Public general interest radio channel France Inter held the top spot with 12.6% audience share, significantly lower from 13.3% one year on. Similarly, private commercial general interest channel RTL remained in second place, dropping to 12.3% audience share from 12.7%. Third place is regional public network France Bleu, higher at 6.3% audience share from 5.9%. “There has undoubtedly been a transfer from generalist (interest national) radios to local ones,” said an unnamed media watcher to Les Echos (November 18), which noted a tiny rise in aggregate audience share for independent local radio stations. And, too, eclectic Paris-based public channel FIP rose to 1.5% audience share from 1.2%.

Among statutory music channels, legacy hit music channel NRJ dropped to fourth place, holding its 6.2% audience share. Oldies channel Nostalgie, also part of NRJ group, held 6th place with audience share rising to 5.0% from 4.5% year on year. Between the two was news/talk channel RMC, slightly lower at 5,3% audience share. Just the opposite happened to public all-news France Info, which held 7th place with audience share rising to 4.7% from 4.4%.

The plight of Europe 1 continues to engage French media watchers. Once a top tier audience winner, it has fallen to 3.7% and 8th place from 4.1% year on year. It was Europe 1’s worst audience share showing ever. Les Echos blamed “numerous editorial staff departures, several changes in the schedule and reinforced synergies with CNews,” the right-wing TV talk channel owned by Vivendi. Europe 1 - along with RFM and Virgin Radio - are owned by Lagardére News, in which Vivendi principal Vincent Balloré has significant shareholding. “We know that listeners do not like their habits to be changed, and those in Europe 1 have been constantly confused,” noted Le Point (November 18). Both RFM and Virgin Radio also posted noticeable audience share losses.

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