Since Canal+ decided to stop broadcasting the TF1 group’s channels on its various bouquets, front page audiences have plummeted. As shown by the latest Médiamétrie barometer, TF1 lost 2.7% audience share in September 2022 compared to last year.
That was to be expected. The effects of the crisis between Canal+ and TF1 are already being felt for the front page. And yes, since the encrypted channel decided to stop broadcasting the TF1 group’s channels on its various bouquets, TF1’s audience is in freefall.
In any case, this is what the latest barometer from Médiamétrie, the company specializing in the study of audiences and the use of the media, reveals. Thus, we learn that TF1 increased to 17.7% audience share in September 2022compared to 20% in the same period in 2021. This is a significant decline of 2.3 points.
Of course, this historic fall in audiences is valid for all of the group’s channels (TF1, TFX, TMC, TF1 Séries Films, LCI), which records an overall audience share of 25.7% compared to 27.6% in September 2021.
A fall in audiences compensated by good performances
The front page assured that the crisis with Canal+ and the cessation of broadcasting of its channels has “a significant impact on the group’s overall audience of around -8% to -10%, while remaining disparate depending on the channels and targets”. It should however be noted some great performances for TF1 during this complicated period, with a successful launch for the “Les Combattantes” series with 7 million viewers for the 1st episode.
On TMC, Daily is also making its best comeback, with an average of 1.60 million followers each evening. LCI is doing well, since the continuous news channel has gained 0.7 points over one year, the same increase as France 2.
It should also be noted an explosion in traffic on the replay of the MyTF1 site. Since Canal+ subscribers no longer have access to the channels of the TF1 group, there has been an increase in the number of users of around 51%.
As a reminder, TF1 and Canal+ had decided to settle the dispute between them in court. However, at the end of September 2022, the courts chose not to force Canal+ to resume broadcasting the front page channels in its offers. TF1 obviously appealed this court decision.