French overseas territories: a passion for the news
Focusing on news from mainland France as well as local news, current affairs is at the forefront of local media usage. We take a closer look at the news through Médiamétrie’s audience research (Métridom and complementary studies).
Overseas residents keen on media, with some slight differences between territories
Naturally, here at Médiamétrie, we examine the Overseas Territories from a media perspective: TV and radio audience measurement, together with the Digital Usage Observatory follow the trends in media practice found in these territories, along with local particularities as well as similarities to mainland France. Guy Détrousselle, Médiamétrie’s Director of local media, specified: “The audience and multimedia research carried out by Médiamétrie in the Overseas Territories plays a very similar role to our everyday work in mainland France: they combine an editorial view of media performance analysis and TV viewer and radio listener profiles by time slot and associated programming. They also play a fundamental role in the local and extra-local advertising market, providing a neutral and objective observation capable of regulating advertising investment by advertisers via agencies and sales houses.”
In total, the studies carried out by Médiamétrie cover more than 2 million people, spread across the four corners of the earth: the Caribbean (French West Indies and French Guiana), the Indian Ocean (Réunion and Mayotte), and the Pacific Ocean (French Polynesia and New Caledonia).
In the territories studied, more than 9 out of 10 residents own a TV set (94%). Average daily audiences totalled over 1.7 million TV viewers aged 13 years and older, i.e. 80% of the population. However, practices do differ among the territories. On one hand, we have: Mayotte where more than 9 out of 10 people watch TV daily, while on the other hand, in French Polynesia, the figure is 7 out of 10.
Daily radio audiences number 1.5 million on average in the Overseas Territories. Once again, there are differing usages. Although the vast majority of the population of Martinique and Guadeloupe listen to the radio (over 80% cumulative audience), in French Polynesia, the figure is just over 50%. Generally speaking, however, listening times per radio listener are high: between 2 hrs 51 mins daily in Mayotte (equal to mainland France) and 4 hrs 23 mins in Guadeloupe.
Internet usage has become widespread: ¾ of internet users(1)were online during the last month in the Caribbean and Réunion.
General interest channels predominate
In the Overseas Territories, general interest TV channels(2)feature prominently. They attract nearly 1.4 million viewers daily in the territories studied. If we add the news channels,(3)this figure rises to 1.5 million. These TV viewers watch an average of 2-3 channels per day, with a preference for local stations.
General interest and news channels feature in all of the territories studied in the Top 3 in terms of audience share, with the exception of Réunion where sports channels just edge ahead of current affairs channels. In Guadeloupe and Martinique, general interest channels represent 73% and 75.4% of audience share respectively. In French Polynesia, they account for up to 93.3%. News channels capture 6.6% of the audience share in Mayotte.
Turning to the radio, more than one million listeners tune into general interest stations daily. Together with news radio stations, they have the bulk of audience share, except in French Polynesia where music stations are generally preferred over other types of stations.
Guy Détrousselle analysed: “The peculiarity, and the history of some media in certain territories mean that it is possible to have audience shares that exceed those seen in mainland France. General interest breakfast radio shows in the French West Indies and evening news bulletins on the terrestrial networks in Réunion garner audiences that station managers in France could only dream of!”
Very local news and news from mainland France capture audiences
Whether on television or radio, in the Overseas Territories, news programming captures a broad audience. A fact underlined by Nicolas Benoît, a media and digital expert who worked overseas for many years: “The inhabitants of the Overseas Territories have a very real “need” for France. Located far from mainland France, they often feel somewhat abandoned and distant from the concerns there. Therefore, they keep abreast of news and social and political current affairs in particular”. We should also state that there is a sizeable community of individuals from the Overseas Territories living in mainland France.
There can be no doubt that news time slots constitute the peaks of radio and television audiences.
On television, the peak audience for general interest and news channels is between 7-8pm, i.e. the timing of the evening TV news bulletin, and this is valid for all the territories studied. In Guadeloupe, general interest and news channels capture 90.8% of audience share between 7-8pm, compared to 78.9% over the entire day; during this time slot, 195,000 people are tuned into general interest channels. These audience share figures climbed to 93.5% in Martinique, with nearly 200,000 TV viewers. In Mayotte, the same channels attracted a 91.7% audience share, 97.8% in French Polynesia (96.5% over the entire day), and 54.5% in Réunion (49.3% over the entire day).
“The importance of news perfectly illustrates the peculiarities of the Overseas Territories, with peak audiences tuning in for news bulletins and/or news flashes,” observed Guy Détrousselle. “We could also distinguish between the Overseas Territories insofar as each administrative department, local authority and territory have their own sociological, demographic and cultural particularities. However, across the territories studied as a whole, common behaviours were noted in terms of the digital revolution and its direct impacts (multiple screens, time-shifted viewing, etc.).”
Although the format of news programming is identical to mainland France, approximately 85% of the content is national and local news, with just 15% of international stories relevant to their geographical area. “Local and very local news dominate, with reporters in small municipalities forming a tight knit and comprehensive network," explained Nicolas Benoît. There is a strong sense of community. He added: “Subjected as they are to colossal weather events and being on the front line of global warming, overseas residents show solidarity in the face of catastrophes and are interested in events happening right across their territory and particularly with regard to global warming.”
On general interest radio stations, the peak audience occurs between 6-7am. These stations massively contribute to breakfast radio results right across the territories, with the exception of the French Polynesia. Indeed, as we noted earlier, Polynesians prefer music stations: general interest radio stations attract 27.5% audience share between 6-7am. However, this figure is higher than for the day as a whole (19.8%). In Guadeloupe, general interest stations draw in 87.3% audience share for this time slot, compared to 78.7% over the entire day(3). These stations attract 1.4 million listeners. Given the frequency of driving, the car is another preferred place to listen to the radio. Listening on mobile phones has also seen strong growth.
Our expert also pointed out a recent phenomenon whereby alongside the main daily news items, for example changes in the price of petrol, news programmes are also devoting increasing airtime to success stories of Overseas Territories residents who have gone to mainland France, Australia and elsewhere. All part and parcel of our globalised world.
Much airtime on news programmes is also given over to culture. France’s cultural exception is alive and well in the Overseas Territories.
Residents in the Overseas Territories also use the internet to look up information: in fact, web searches are one of the three main uses of the internet across all media: computer, smartphone and tablet. Guy Détrousselle continued: “Local information websites, often run by media groups exist, such as clicanoo, zinfos974 or linfo.re in Réunion for example.”
In the French West Indies and French Guiana, 74% of web users who were online in the last month caught up on the news. This activity was ranked 3rd, behind e-mail (88%) and internet searches (94%). These results were very similar to Réunion where 75.3% of web users caught up on the news online, 86.3% used e-mail, and 95.8% performed an internet search(4). Young people are keen on internet news: in the French West Indies and French Guiana, 71.6% of the 13-34 demographic read online news, compared to 74% in Réunion. These figures eclipsed the approximately 50% of online news readers aged over 35.
As Nicolas Benoît explained, “Immediate searches are now primarily carried out online.” Social networks are playing a key role in keeping abreast of weather updates, particularly cyclones. Using social media, it is possible to assess the situation almost in real time.
The expert continued: “The emergence of blogs and social networks has really helped to bring more investigative journalism onto television and radio, in the form of investigative reporting and features during new bulletins. In the past, this type of programming was underdeveloped and only now are the media in the Overseas Territories attempting this challenging exercise. The phenomenon is also being fostered through the professional development of journalists active in the Overseas Territories. In fact, we are seeing more and more graduates from journalism schools located in mainland France who are coming back to work in the Overseas Territories.
This all suggests that news in the Overseas Territories has a bright future, whether on television, radio or online, and these media offer complementary approaches. Nicolas Benoît concluded: “Each territory has its own unique history, heritage and migrations. The challenge for the media is to successfully address all of these territories and all of these populations. The only offers with relevance are, therefore, those that are specifically local.”
Three questions for Luc Laventure, CEO of news website, Outremers 360°
How do you explain the crucial role that news has in the Overseas Territories?
There are three main reasons for this. First of all, the Overseas Territories are “countries” which have an oral tradition. As such, news is a constituent part of everyday life. Secondly, in the Overseas Territories, the status within the republic has historically been one of continuous debate, with those stating claims being the loudest voices. Lastly, the territories are so far away from the centres of decision-making that staying informed is vital to their survival. These reasons explain why media use is so prevalent. For instance, Réunion has a lot of radio stations, and some of these were pioneers of the switch to audience participation 30 years ago. The media are also a structural part of political life in French Guiana and in Guadeloupe, much more so than in France itself. In New Caledonia, where a referendum is due to be held in a few weeks’ time, the audience for these media is growing. In these territories, a permanent need for direct expression exists. The French Republic is a very vivid part of everyday life.
What is specific about the news in the Overseas Territories?
The fundamental trait is the notion of the locale and the importance of story-telling. The relationship with language is essential. Writers from the Overseas Territories also play a key role in French literature. Furthermore, these territories are a collection of original and diverse cultures, which leads them to pose deeply humanist questions relating to issues of race, religion, culture, etc. Republican debates have always been more passionate in the Overseas Territories.
What is Outremers 360°'s purpose?
Outremers 360° came into being when we realised that there was no overview of the Overseas Territories available at national and international levels. The Overseas Territories mean that France is connected to the five continents. No other country can claim this uniquely global dimension. As such, Outremers 360° is a digital media that crosses functions, both a flag bearer for the Overseas Territories and a diagnostic. The website is for anyone interested in the Overseas Territories, for business purposes in particular, regardless of whether they are from there themselves. That is why we offer news that is meticulous and takes a step back in terms of stories relating to politics, economics and society. The experts we invite to speak are not heard elsewhere. Our work and our legitimacy are now acknowledged, and our perspective on current affairs – the recent resignation of Nicolas Hulot, for example – is frequently shared widely on social networks. In addition, we have developed a policy of partnering with our colleagues in radio and television so that voices from the Overseas Territories can reach an even wider audience. With that in mind, I want to pay tribute to the civic efforts to build social cohesion by all media in the Overseas Territories.
1 Source: Médiamétrie - OUD (Digital Usage Observatory) 2017 panorama of the French West Indies-French Guiana & Réunion.
2 General interest channels: mainly longstanding local channels (Outremer la 1ère, Antenne Réunion, Calédonia TV, TNTV, etc.), France Télévisions channels from France (France 2, France 3, France 4, France 5, France Ô), other leading channels available in the Overseas Territories (TF1, M6, Canal+), etc.
3 24 hour news channels including: BFM TV, CNEWS, LCI, France Info TV, France 24, etc.
4 Source: Médiamétrie - Métridom Survey for French West Indies: January-November 2017 cumulative– Réunion: January-November 2017 cumulative – French Guiana: October-December 2017 – Mayotte: ad hoc April 2017 – New Caledonia: ad hoc September-October 2017 – Polynesia ad hoc September-October 2017 / Target = 13 years and older / For TV: Monday–Friday; 12 midnight to 12 midnight, and for the Radio:Monday-Friday; 5am to 12 midnight.
Laure OSMANIAN MOLINERO
des médias
edition
definitions