TF1 - The season's ratings in review (September 2012 - June 2013)

THE SEASON IN REVIEW (September 2012 - June 2013)

Three key factors drove positive audience share trends for TF1 during the season, particularly in the first half of 2013. TF1's performance was especially impressive considering that competition intensified further with the launch of six new channels in France. The three factors were:

• An ambitious editorial approach in TF1's news programming
• A policy of programme renewal
• Continued development of multi-screen programming

News: viewership rises during the season
The growth in news audiences that began in the last quarter continued throughout the entire season. The two daily newscasts both registered gains and widened their lead on competitors.

- 6.4m viewers and a 44% audience share for the 1 pm newscast, with the lead on its challenger increasing by 200,000 viewers to an average 3.7m.
- 6.7m viewers for the 8 pm newscast, with the lead widening by 300,000 viewers to an average of 1.7m.
- The leading news magazines, Reportages and 7à8, had audiences of 5.6m and 5.5m viewers, respectively.

Catherine Nayl, Managing Director News and Information, adds : « The editorial staff has adopted an ambitious approach that has set our news programming apart and attracted new viewers at a time when the competition has never been stronger. This is a source of great satisfaction, as is the success of Gilles Bouleau and Anne-Claire Coudray, alongside Claire Chazal, Jean-Pierre Pernaut, Jacques Legros, Julien Arnaud and Harry Roselmack ».

Programming: a policy of launching new shows pays off
TF1 has been airing some twenty new programmes since last September, including:

- No Limit, the first series created by movie director Luc Besson, starring Vincent Elbaz, had the best launch of any French drama since 2010, attracting 7.3m viewers. The same was true for Falco, with Sagamore Stévenin which also drew 7.3m viewers with the first episode.
- Unforgettable (as many as 9m viewers) and Person of interest (up to 7.5m), two new US series, were successful additions to the channel's prime-time line-up.
- Splash, le Grand Plongeon, had the best launch of any prime-time entertainment show since The Voice, with up to 6.4m viewers.
- The policy of reusing recent brands has also yielded results: the prime-time shows Money Drop and Vendredi Tout est Permis, with more than 5.3m viewers, were added to the Friday entertainment slot. Also worth noting is the resounding success of the prime-time event programme Nos Chers Voisins, with 5.9m viewers.
- There were additions to the line-up in the second part of the evening, with 24 Heures aux Urgences on Tuesdays, scoring audience shares of up to 37% among under-50 female purchasing decision makers, and the late show Ce Soir avec Arthur on Fridays.
- It was an excellent season for TF1's youth programming, notably with the launch of the new version of Mystérieuses Cités d'Or and the success of Le Ranch.

New records for TF1 events
- All-time audience for the Bal des Enfoirés charity gala, with 13.6m viewers.
- Soccer, 2014 World Cup qualifiers: 10.4m viewers for France v Spain.
- Election of Miss France: biggest audience since 2007, with 8.2m viewers. 
- NRJ Music Awards: nearly 7m viewers, and an all-time record for Twitter traffic, with 1.8 tweets.

Keynote programming
One of TF1's key strengths lies in its keynote programmes, which viewers can follow throughout the year. Several of these, in all sectors of programming, are making headway despite persistently strong competition.
- The Ciné Dimanche movie slot drew its biggest audience since 2010 with the comedy Rien à Déclarer (10m viewers).
- Record-breaking seasons for: The Voice, with 8m viewers on average (up 200,000 year on year); Koh Lanta, 7.4m viewers on average (the fourth-best season), Danse avec les Stars, 5.8m viewers on average (up 700,000 on season 2); and during daytime programming: Bienvenue Chez Nous and Les 12 Coups de Midi (up 100,000 year on year, 3.6m viewers on average).
- TF1's selection of US series monopolise the top five places for the Top 10 prime-time series, with The Mentalist, Criminal Minds, Unforgettable, House and Person of Interest.
- French drama: in addition to the success of new shows, the flagships have gained ground: 600,000 more viewers for Section de Recherches; the new season of Alice Nevers drew an additional 6.4m viewers on average compared with the previous season. And regular favourites such as Clem, Joséphine Ange Gardien and Camping Paradis continue to draw audiences to the Monday slot.
- TF1's game shows give the channel a strong leadership advantage in a fiercely contested time slot, drawing up to 3.3m viewers at 6 pm (Une Famille en Or) and as many as 5.5m at 7 pm (Le Juste Prix).
- The daily comedy slot at 8.45 pm is breaking all records: 7.5m viewers on average (up 300,000 year on year) for the daily duo of Nicolas Canteloup and Nikos Aliagas, and 7.0m for Nos Chers Voisins since its return to the 8.45 pm slot, with a peak of 8.2m.

Fabrice Bailly, Head of Programming at TF1 comments : « The renewal policy carried forward by the team has put TF1 on an audience-winning path with a high success rate. In addition, the group's iconic events and shows have had their best-ever seasons, confirming yet again TF1's unique ability to unite the largest possible number of viewers ».

Digital : Successful innovation for TF1's programme brands
TF1 launched its pioneering second screen experience at the beginning of the year with MYTF1 Connect. Organised around The Voice, this landmark innovation was extended to sport and the matches played by the French national soccer squad, and then in May to news, coinciding with the launch of the new MYTF1 News.
- More than 14 million hours go onto the group's videos every month, according to the latest data (*).
- TF1 has a community of more than 17 million fans on all networks.
- TF1 is the leader for social TV, taking the top 3 places and breaking the record at the NRJ Music Awards, with
1.8m messages posted during the evening. The social network audience increased five-fold for this season of The Voice compared with season 1. And Secret Story enjoyed a record-breaking launch, attracting more than 800,000 tweets.

Régis Ravanas, the group's Executive Vice President of Diversification, adds : « During this second season we have consolidated our position as the key player in digital media in France, particularly through our latest developments in the second screen experience and social TV, with MYTF1 Connect. We intend to pursue this offensive, relying on TFI's events and premium content to give our audiences an inimitable experience.»

Source : Médiamat - Médiamétrie
from 3 sept 2012 au 30 junr 2013 (consolidated at 23 juin)
* : Médiamétrie // NetRatings - Panel Vidéo - March 2013

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