traditional channels are losing ground all over the world

The trend is the same all over the world: we watch less and less TV and more and more streaming platforms. Médiamétrie examined the uses of 86 countries during the year 2023 and confirms that linear is still losing ground.

Four minutes less viewing compared to 2022. According to the study published by Médiatrie on April 8, viewers spent 2 hours and 21 minutes per day in front of the television. This remains higher than the time spent streaming, but we know that the trend will eventually be reversed. In the United States, for example, the progression is impressive: platforms represent 43% of listening time, compared to 31% just three years ago.

If we stick to these figures, the traditional media have reason to worry. But there is still reason for hope for them because the market shares of Netflix, Disney, Prime Video and others are stabilizing in the countries that discovered them first, namely the United States. and the United Kingdom. There, the services that are on the rise now are those financed by advertising, in other words the free ones, with YouTube in the lead. The public is clearly tired of paying one, two, three, four subscriptions to see programs. This is why, on American territory, it is mainly the cable channels which are failing, not those of the terrestrial network.

Streaming platforms linked to existing channels

These new platforms are a potential new advertising bonanza, but also a way to keep viewers despite everything. Because ultimately, watching a program live or delayed is still watching a program, the audience adds up.

So, all over the world, channels are accelerating their “platformization”: they offer not only catch-up but also exclusives, previews, innovative features, content available for several months. And this for free, with integrated advertising. TF1+ was born in January, M6+ will be launched on May 15.

Big live events stay on TV

Last year, it was the quarter-final of the Blues at the Rugby World Cup which achieved the audience record in France, with 16.5 million viewers. This is why American platforms are getting into the sport. In fact, they are using television codes more and more.

We also see it for their series: no more binge-watching (watching all the episodes in one go). Now, they release one or two parts per week, and we have to wait to see what happens next. Old !