TV audiences: BFMTV widens the gap with CNews in May

All channels combined, BFMTV recorded the best audience increase in May 2022 compared to May 2021, widening the gap with CNews, down over one year for the first time since January 2020, according to data published Monday by Médiamétrie. With 3.4% audience share (PDA), BFMTV gained 0.8 points compared to May 2021, still dominating the quartet of news channels.

With the exception of CNews, all progressed over one year in a context of a drop in overall television viewing time (3 hours 17 minutes in May, i.e. 26 minutes less than in May 2021, and 21 minutes less than in May 2019). The channel of the Canal group fell by 0.2 points over one year, with a PDA of 2%.

Behind, with 1.7% of PDA, LCI recorded the second best progression (0.6 point) of the PAF and its second best historical month, while Franceinfo gained 0.2 point, at 0.9% of PDA.

In the general classification, TF1 retains its first place while recording the largest drop (-1.1 point) in the sector over one year, with 18.8% of PDA. However, it signs its best month of the year, benefiting in particular from the triumphant return of its series "HPI", worn by Audrey Fleurot (10.9 million viewers for the first episode, replay included).

On the second step of the podium, France 2 gains 0.3 points, with 14.8% of PDA, helped by its fictions like "Candice Renoir" (4.9 million viewers for the first two episodes of the new season). With 8.9% of PDA (-0.2 point), France 3 comes third ahead of M6 (8.5% of PDA, -0.6 point), in the process of bringing together TF1.

If the consumption of traditional television is decreasing, after the parenthesis linked to the health crisis, Médiamétrie notes that “replay is a use which is becoming more and more democratized”. For example, 28% of the audience for HPI episodes broadcast this month was made in replay (compared to 22% in 2021 for season 1), the organization told AFP.

This mode of viewing also represents a quarter of the audience of Koh-Lanta (TF1) in May (compared to 19% over the two seasons of 2021), 17% for the France 3 series “Meurtre à” (compared to 12% in 2021) and 21% for the show “Married at first sight” on M6 (compared to 16% the previous season).