Hot Topic - Media in France

Strikes Blamed For Ratings Tumble - November 18, 2010
News and information are truly significant to radio programming. When news is hot and there’s lots to talk about channels significantly branded for letting people know what’s going on get a ratings benefit. The news-talk listener is loyal, to a point, and doesn’t react well to changes.

The Young French Are Attracted To Paid-For Newspapers – As Long As Someone Else, Like The Taxpayer, Does The Paying - November 11, 2010
French taxpayers subsidize newspapers to the tune of some €600 million annually – a government report said it’s like keeping the press in a state of “permanent artificial respiration” – but the newest initiative, aimed at getting the young to read print again, seems to be working.

Not Good News When The News Cycle Turns Down - July 19, 2010
In the news business, it’s a given that ratings rise and fall with big news. Only so much can be done to pump up ratings when nature and politicians turn quiet. Not to worry: something always happens.

Rich Businessmen Rescue Yet Another French National Newspaper - June 30, 2010
Le Monde got rescued just in time. The new owners paid €110 million ($136 million) for France’s most prestigious and influential newspaper but they had to deposit €10 million ($13.6 million) immediately to cover immediate needs including meeting payroll at the end of the week. It was that close.

More Good News For Broadcasters, Some At Least… - April 23, 2010
National stations and local stations are different. Big city stations are different, too. Within it all, audiences are increasing. Broadcasters are finding opportunity as the folks continue to spin that dial.

Media in Life: Demand Rises To Supply - March 8, 2010
With so much media activity in, on and around new media, it is hardly a surprise that people have gravitated to new media. TV stays TV, radio stays radio and newspapers stay newspapers until they migrate to the Web and mobile phones. It is, of course, where the people are going.

It’s the music. It’s the measurement. It’s awful! - January 20, 2010
Judging from early returns – ratings, that is – this year starts almost where it left off. Audiences are still falling. It’s the fault of everything. The best advice may be to keep a good sense of humor.

More Talk Raises Ratings - November 18, 2009
Whether it is the spirit of the times and people want to hear voices on the radio or theirs is just so much to talk about, the trend toward more talk is growing. Perhaps music listeners are attached to their iPods or maybe music just stinks. Perhaps programmers should be spending more time with show hosts and DJs and less with the music computer.

The Hurting Side of Media Oversupply - September 23, 2009
New media has raised both supply of and demand for media. Households spend more time and money with media and media products. Demand drives supply. The down-side hurts, too.

The community of fans - September 7, 2009
Every sport has its rabid fans. Craziness aside, it’s the fans – and super-fans – who drive broadcast sports and sports marketing. New media gives broadcasters a new tool for building audience and revenue.

Parsing Diplomatic Speech - August 23, 2009
Language in Brussels is delicate. Even with translations into each European tongue details are precise and precisely spoken. Misunderstandings are to be avoided; sensitivity above all.

Losing audience, losing energy - July 16, 2009
There are few secrets to attracting and holding audience. Programmers learn to spot a trend and make the best of it. Obvious trends are finite, duration limited. Meta-trends are harder to recognize.

Digital radio for toi et moi - May 29, 2009
Dismal economics notwithstanding, digital radio broadcasting keeps edging forward. Listeners are firmly attached to their iPhones and broadcasters need to keep them happy. How to get from here to there is a weighty question. But, no fear, there’s always a step backward.

Orwell wasn’t French - Piracy and privacy oddly intersect - May 11, 2009
Imagine, if you will, feeling compelled to write your local elected representative about an interest that affects not just you, you believe, but a lot of people. You thoughtfully compose a letter – email, being the post-modern age – and send it off. Your elected representative was so impressed he, then, forwards your email to the government department working on the particular issue. Then a person at that government office decides to forward your email to your employer. And then you get fired.

Media in France

French audiences are moving fast to every new platform. Mobile and Web media challenges the old guard while rule makers seek new directions. Media life in France... and a few secrets. 98 pages PDF (November 2009)

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