TV Live Forum

In time for the second round of the legislative elections, France 3 and France Bleu's common news website Ici has been formally launched. The new service, initially rolled-out as a public beta in April, was created using the framework from France Bleu's existing app and website; additionally, the website has included a regional-locked stream of France 3 and space for more video content; with the formal launch, the service has replaced both the existing France Bleu website and apps, as well as the France 3 subsite located on the Franceinfo website and apps.

It is almost the end of the TV season in France, and the first movements before the start of the season are in:

• Laurent Ruquier has resigned from On est en direct. Feeling uncomfortable with co-hosting with Léa Salamé, he presented his final show last week. Salamé will continue hosting in the new season, with Philippe Thuillier and Corentin Son remaining as producers; Ruquier will concentrate his efforts on Les Enfants de la télé, which will also return in the new season in a new format (as part of Michel Drucker's move to France 3); Salamé will also retire from her duties in Elysée 2022; her successor is still TBA.
  
• Thierry Ardisson's ambitious project Hôtel du temps has been renewed by France 3, even with the very low ratings from the first episode (featuring Dalida), which nearly caused him to cancel unilaterally the show. The new season will debut with a film featuring Coluche.
  
• France 3's Sunday teatime new programming will not only feature Michel Drucker; Cyril Feraud has been appointed to place his weekly light entertainment shows (La carte aux trésors, Le grand concours des régions, Slam, among others) to that day. These movements mean Thalassa, which has been buried in the Sunday afternoon slot after a controversial post-Georges Pernoud period, gets back a prime time slot, albeit on Sunday. Moreover, Féraud will have another presenting role, as France 2 will adapt ITV's The 1% Club. The show will be produced by BBC Studios France, with four episodes being ordered by the broadcaster.
  
• France 3 will air the first court proceedings recorded for TV broadcast. The show, named L'audience est ouverte, will be formatted similar to Crown Court, but will feature real cases all over the regions, filmed in an as-it-happened style.
  
• After making the biggest audience share for its FTA slot in many years, Canal+ has renewed the reboot of En aparté, the Face to Face-style interview show, whose revival has been presented by former BFM TV anchor Nathalie Lévy. The channel plans to retain the show as the core of its open time, who has been occupied by imports and repeats outside the show, which alternates with a Champions League edition of Canal Football Club on match days.
  
• Controversial Jean-Marc Morandini has resigned from NRJ 12 after the cancellation of many of his shows; the controversial pundit, investigated for sexual harassment, is staying with CNEWS, but also he's reportedly in negotiations with Canal+ to do shows for its FTA channels.
  
• Natacha Polony has been sacked from BFM TV due to the low ratings of Polonews, the time slot she had with Aurélie Casse; the show was unable to compete with Pascal Praud's shoutfest, L'Heure des Pros 2., over at CNEWS; BFM TV is still a steady leader, but CNEWS' dramatic move into conservative punditry is nearly biting on their feet, with Yves Calvi's hour being beaten at times by Face à l'info, even if Éric Zemmour's departure (due to electoral and political reasons) has caused a decline in ratings.
  
• Hélène Mannarino is out at LCI; she has left the morning show, which she had co-anchored with Stéfan Etcheverry, but she will stay within TF1, as she also presents magazines over at TFX and TMC. LCI's morning show is still struggling; even with Pascale de la Tour de la Pin presenting in the four previous seasons, the channel is beaten, in that slot, by all the competing news channels (even by Franceinfo TV, where Samuel Étienne is slowly but steady increasing its audience).
  

In a final, non-related note, M6 presented its pack of Disney films during the Pentecostal long weekend with an unique difference: instead of offering the English track normally offered in the VM audio channel, M6 and Disney took the bold decision of offering the Ukrainian dub of five films (Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, The Incredibles, Zootropolis and the TV premiere of Toy Story 4) to target refugees and their families.

To the credit of Samuel and the team around him, I think the current season of La Matinale on Franceinfo has been the strongest yet and distinguishes itself from the more dumbed down TéléMatin on France 2, but the Matinale team have still managed to have fun in that slot while covering the Ukraine war, two domestic elections and the Cannes Film Festival in recent months.

I hope there aren't too many changes to the bulletin in the new season bar Clémence de La Baume returning from maternity leave.

As for Morandini, I wouldn't be surprised if the repeats of France 2's Un Gars, Une Fille are performing better than his shows on NRJ12.

Overall, I hope the changes to France 2 and 3 benefit viewers, but I will miss the fact that France 2 will skew towards younger audiences from now on instead of being a broad general entertainment channel.

Did the TF1/M6 merger ever go ahead?

(14-06-2022, 05:04 PM)Medianext.MX Wrote: [ -> ]In time for the second round of the legislative elections, France 3 and France Bleu's common news website Ici has been formally launched. The new service, initially rolled-out as a public beta in April, was created using the framework from France Bleu's existing app and website; additionally, the website has included a regional-locked stream of France 3 and space for more video content; with the formal launch, the service has replaced both the existing France Bleu website and apps, as well as the France 3 subsite located on the Franceinfo website and apps.

Can you please post a link of this new website? I would really like to check it out

(14-06-2022, 06:38 PM)Brekkie Wrote: [ -> ]Did the TF1/M6 merger ever go ahead?

The French media regulator Arcom and the country's competition authority have approved the merger and is expected to close in early 2023.

(14-06-2022, 06:41 PM)London Lite Wrote: [ -> ]

(14-06-2022, 06:38 PM)Brekkie Wrote: [ -> ]Did the TF1/M6 merger ever go ahead?

The French media regulator Arcom and the country's competition authority have approved the merger and is expected to close in early 2023.

Damn I didn't know this....... this will now open the door to other mergers in other countries

While I know it won't please a lot of people, the merger reflects how linear tv broadcasters need to compete in an ever diverse market for viewers alongside the streaming companies in Europe.

It also opens up opportunities for smaller groups such as Altice, the owner of BFMTV to expand their broadcasting group with the acquisition of some of the smaller TF1/M6 channels. I think they gain 6ter and TFX. I'm not sure what is happening to some of the other smaller channels such as TF1 Séries Films and Guili.

(14-06-2022, 06:41 PM)Roger Darthwell Wrote: [ -> ]

(14-06-2022, 05:04 PM)Medianext.MX Wrote: [ -> ]In time for the second round of the legislative elections, France 3 and France Bleu's common news website Ici has been formally launched. The new service, initially rolled-out as a public beta in April, was created using the framework from France Bleu's existing app and website; additionally, the website has included a regional-locked stream of France 3 and space for more video content; with the formal launch, the service has replaced both the existing France Bleu website and apps, as well as the France 3 subsite located on the Franceinfo website and apps.

Can you please post a link of this new website? I would really like to check it out

The website is available over at www.francebleu.fr, although the URL might change at a later stage.

(14-06-2022, 06:41 PM)London Lite Wrote: [ -> ]

(14-06-2022, 06:38 PM)Brekkie Wrote: [ -> ]Did the TF1/M6 merger ever go ahead?

The French media regulator Arcom and the country's competition authority have approved the merger and is expected to close in early 2023.

They were so quick. I hope no one gets wounded in the integration process, and I hope both companies have a great future ahead. And, as London Lite said, Altice will benefit from the merger thanks to TFX (which, seeing how Altice have done with their channels, might be renamed under the RMC fold, as with RMC Story and RMC Découverte).

(14-06-2022, 09:02 PM)Medianext.MX Wrote: [ -> ]

(14-06-2022, 06:41 PM)Roger Darthwell Wrote: [ -> ]Can you please post a link of this new website? I would really like to check it out

The website is available over at www.francebleu.fr, although the URL might change at a later stage.

(14-06-2022, 06:41 PM)London Lite Wrote: [ -> ]The French media regulator Arcom and the country's competition authority have approved the merger and is expected to close in early 2023.

They were so quick. I hope no one gets wounded in the integration process, and I hope both companies have a great future ahead. And, as London Lite said, Altice will benefit from the merger thanks to TFX (which, seeing how Altice have done with their channels, might be renamed under the RMC fold, as with RMC Story and RMC Découverte).

Thank you so much for the link!

(14-06-2022, 09:57 PM)Roger Darthwell Wrote: [ -> ]Thank you so much for the link!

Roger, could you please stop posting comments like this. They're not necessary when clicking on the like button will do.

Thanks.

(18-06-2022, 07:32 PM)Medianext.MX Wrote: [ -> ][*]Finally, but in the radio side, Vivendi/Bolloré is already making their mark in the Lagardère radio group; after integrating Canal+ and CNEWS personalities and programmes into Europe 1, the radio network is launching a daily football-oriented show to take on RMC's After Foot; the show will be co-produced by Canal+ Sport and will feature personalities from both Europe 1 and Canal+, as well as some star analysts; additionally, Vivendi will finally end the licensing contract with Virgin for its music network, as a result, Virgin Radio might be renamed back to its legendary name, Europe 2, starting next year, the change must be approved by the Arcom. In preparation for that, TPMP chroniqueur Guillaume Genton has been named host of Virgin Tonic, replacing Manu Payet, who leaves the station to concentrate his stand-up career; the show will be still produced by Cyril Hanouna's H2O.

I actually checked the news about Europe 2, and that is official. From the 1st of January 2023 Virgin Radio France will become once again Europe 2 https://www.cbnews.fr/medias/image-virgi...pe-2-69956 No word on whether it's TV channel Europe 2 TV will return as well

I suspect one of the reasons why Virgin Radio is rebranding as Europe 2 again is to save on franchise fees to Richard Branson.

The original Virgin Radio in the UK was restricted in what they could do branding and promotional wise when it came to the franchise agreement after Branson sold Virgin in the late 90s.