The Impact of TNT’s New Numbering on News Channels
The landscape of French television news has undergone a significant shift with the recent renumbering of the TNT (Télévision Numérique Terrestre). In a decision aimed at enhancing viewer access to information, channels have been reorganized, creating a block of news channels from BFMTV on channel 13 to Franceinfo on channel 16. Four days post-renumbering, CNews emerged as a formidable player, leading the charge in audience ratings on Monday, June 9, 2025.
CNews captured an impressive 3.8% share of viewers aged four and over throughout the day, positioning it neatly as the sixth most-viewed channel in France. This performance placed the channel ahead of TMC (4.7%) and closely rivaled France 5 and Arte, which both recorded 3.7% . Notable is CNews’s dominance over its primary competitor, BFMTV, particularly among the 25-49 age demographic , scoring 2.9% compared to 2.7% for BFMTV. Despite having a greater overall viewership, BFMTV has been noted for its shorter viewing durations, achieving a 2.9% rating this month—marking a peak level but still trailing CNews in audience share.
Morning Ratings Reveal Shifts in Viewer Preferences
Detailed analysis of the morning programming from BFMTV shows that Apolline de Malherbe’s four shows were outperformed in their time slots. The flagship program, ” Première édition ,” engaged 197,000 viewers , which fell short of CNews’s ” La matinale ,” attracting 200,000 —a thin margin, yet crucial in the competitive landscape.
CNews further solidified its lead between 8:30 AM and 9:00 AM , where ” Le face-à-face ,” hosted by Apolline de Malherbe, captured 360,000 viewers , while BFMTV’s offerings lagged. The disparity grew even more pronounced between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM , as CNews’s ” L’heure des pros ,” performed exceptionally, bringing in a staggering 632,000 viewers —a clear victory over BFMTV’s ” Apolline de 9 à 10 ,” which attracted only 272,000 viewers .
Evening Insights: CNews Dominates the 5 PM Slot
The competition intensified as the evening rolled in. Between 5 PM and 7 PM , CNews’s ” Le grand dossier ” and ” 24 Heures Pujadas ” began to take the lead over BFMTV’s ” BFM Story ,” relegating it to third place among the news channels. By 7 PM , CNews’s ratings further expanded, dominating with its second hour of ” 24 Heures Pujadas ,” claiming 377,000 viewers against BFMTV’s 299,000 viewers .
Interestingly, BFMTV found rejuvenation with the 9 PM broadcasting slot. The program, ” Le Forum BFMTV ,” hosted by Maxime Switek, secured a 2.4% share of the audience, marking the channel’s best Monday performance of the year.
Stunning Weekend Performance for CNews
The weekend of Pentecost turned into a historic success for CNews. On Saturday, June 7, it reported an unprecedented viewership split with a 3.0% audience share versus BFMTV’s 2.5% —the largest gap ever recorded on a Saturday. However, this momentum faltered on Sunday, where viewership softened dramatically due to major sports events, with both CNews and BFMTV hitting low points in audience engagement.
Specifically, CNews ended the weekend with a 1.9% share , while BFMTV fell to 2.1% , leading to a disappointing Sunday for all news channels in the context of competing sports events like the historic men’s final at Roland-Garros, which drew significant attention away from regular programming.
Daily Audience Share Breakdown Since TNT Renumbering
A summary of the audience shares highlights the fluctuating dynamics since the TNT renumbering:
– Monday, June 9, 2025
1. CNews ( 3.8% )
2. BFMTV ( 2.9% )
3. LCI ( 2.1% )
4. Franceinfo ( 0.9% )
– Sunday, June 8, 2025
1. BFMTV ( 2.1% )
2. CNews ( 1.9% )
3. LCI ( 1.4% )
4. Franceinfo ( 0.8% )
– Saturday, June 7, 2025
1. CNews ( 3.0% )
2. BFMTV ( 2.5% )
3. LCI ( 1.7% )
4. Franceinfo ( 0.9% )
– Friday, June 6, 2025
1. CNews ( 4.2% )
2. BFMTV ( 2.6% )
3. LCI ( 2.0% )
4. Franceinfo ( 1.1% )
This week’s ratings reflect a dramatic shift in the hierarchy of the news channels in France, raising questions about viewer preferences and the potential long-term effects of the TNT renumbering. As competition escalates, only time will tell how these developments will shape the future of news broadcasting in the country.