French DTT HD 5.5% audience share
January 13, 2016
From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris
The six new French DTT HD channels reached the 5.5 per cent audience share mark in 2015, according to the annual ratings Mediamat survey by Médiamétrie. The services – Chérie 25, 6ter, RMC Découverte HD 24, Numéro 23 and HD1 – jumped by 1.7 per cent from a 3.8 per cent audience share in 2014.
Overall, national broadcasters garnered 90.1 per cent audience share compared with a 9.9 per cent for thematic channels. Among national channels, TF1 is the only one to show a decline – 1.5 points to 21.4 per cent audience share as opposed to 22.9 per cent a year previously. The leading commercial network, whose access shows and prime time US TV series lost strength, nevertheless maintained its leadership by delivering 98 out of the 100 top-rated shows.
Pubcaster France 2 came in second position at 14.3 per cent, with audience share up 0.2 points, followed by M6 (9.9 per cent audience share), France 3 (9.2 per cent), France 5 (3.4 per cent) and Arte (2.2 per cent).
Among the first generation DTT channels, Canal+’s D8 heads its segment with 3.4 per cent audience share, ahead of TF1’s TMC (3.1 per cent) and M6’s W9 (2.6 per cent).
The 2015 average viewing time was established at 3 hours and 44 minutes, up 8 minutes, resulting from the growth of delayed viewing, whether by recording or replaying programmes.