Bastien Collignon and AFP, edited by Manon Fossat
, modified at
11:40 a.m., December 16, 2021
The President of the Republic returned to his record during a long interview recorded on December 12 and broadcast Wednesday evening on TF1. An evening that gathered 3.8 million viewers according to data from Médiamétrie, an audience score well below those recorded during previous speeches by the Head of State.
Emmanuel Macron was the guest of TF1 on Wednesday for an exceptional two-hour interview. Faced with journalists Audrey Crespo-Mara and Darius Rochebin, the President of the Republic returned to his record, his management of the yellow vests and Covid-19 crises. An interview that brought together 3.8 million viewers in front of TF1, according to data from Médiamétrie, an audience score well below those recorded during previous speeches by the Head of State.
A lower score than previous interventions
On Twitter, the former deputy director of TF1, Robert Namias wrote on Wednesday evening: “Audience Macron on TF1 instructions for use. To be compared to a premium Time of TF1 whose usual audience is judged: below 2.5 million: mediocre, around 5 million: good, over 7 million: excellent, over 8 million: exceptional. ” According to its analysis grid, the audiences were therefore between mediocre and good.
Audience Macron on TF1 manual. To compare with a prime Time of TF1 whose usual audience is judged: below 2.5 million: mediocre, around 5 million: good, more than 7 million: excellent, beyond 8 million: exceptional.
– Namias Robert (@NamiasRobert) December 15, 2021
At the highest point, viewers were up to 4.6 million watching the interview, the TF1 group also mentioned in a tweet. The program titled Emmanuel Macron, where is France going? was also broadcast on LCI, the group’s 24-hour news channel, but its audiences will not be known until Friday morning around 11 a.m.
Debates around the fairness of speaking time
Still, the score of TF1 is much lower than that of previous speeches by the Head of State related to the management of the health crisis. His last intervention on November 10 was followed by 8.1 million viewers only on TF1.
The broadcast of this interview, at four months of the presidential election, sparked heated debates between opponents and supporters of the Head of State on respect for the principle of equity of speaking time between candidates, Emmanuel Macron not having officially declared himself a candidate.