3 million for the last six weeks of pepper

TF1 or the besieged fortress. TF1 or conspiracy theory. "Every evening, we do a show before an audience which does applauds us never...". "On the banks of the Seine, in its vast Office of the famous round tower, carpet thick and large glazed opening on the River, Laurent Storch, Director of programs, not furious against journalists. This Parisian microcosm that is the fine mouth before major popular programs of the chain and especially outrageously dramatizing historical challenges that it is supposed to be: the digital revolution, competition 12 new channels free DTT and the video on the Internet, decrease of hearing (26.9 the first week of October), financial balance to find, finally, between threatened advertising revenue and recurring charges... Laurent Storch annoys this small circle which lies miles of "advertisers who continue to support the string" and, especially, the public, "the 7 to 10 million viewers regularly watch TF1 and much less destabilized by the upheaval of the audiovisual landscape and the arrival of the digital than what we read."

Back "failed".

It is true that a few weeks after, once again, deny that the deletion of France television advertising and the second commercial break were a "gift" by Nicolas Sarkozy in TF1, the leader of the PAF chain is again on the breach. Is that ex-présentateur star, Patrick pepper of Arvor, spread in the media on his unjust eviction of the newscast. But, taken in the global stock market turmoil, who chahute his title, faces, as most economic actors, visibility near zero in the long term, who severely by the "other TV" (TNT, cable and satellite) which, according to the media agency Starcom (Publicis), "reach now 24.9 of national audience share", the chain of Martin Bouygues must also confront a media herd grin before re-entry "failed". A receipt which was precisely to incarnate the revival of the "business model" of the one.

Problem: with an average of 31.9 of audience share on the last two weeks, Laurence Ferrari, committed to the score of the track in the evening, seems rather worsen the slow erosion that had marked the last year of the Magisterium of PPDA. Certainly, magnifying glass in hand, "the blond asset of TF1" is more nuanced than it seems: in the past six weeks, the advertising turnover won by screens around his "JT" amounted to 20.9 million euros excluding tax, compared to 18.3 million for the last six weeks of "pepper". Nevertheless, analysts impatiently: the end of the newscast opens at 20 h 40 a major commercial hub. And each retreat on the part of hearing said a little more "cost in contact" for the advertiser.

However, in the first half of 2008, already, advertising revenues have dropped ( 3.6 to EUR 891,2 million). Which reserve the second half, necessarily EBIT impacted by the stock market crash "We have a very low visibility, admits Martine Hollinger, CEO of TF1 publicity. Advertisers arbitrate on the very short term: some stop their investments to maintain their margins, others continue their spending to remain present... "Before concluding:"It is certain that there will be no positive results." "Even if the premium for the leader will continue to apply.

It prevents: queries are much more urgent that the other great "bet" the re-entry, the daily drama "Second Chance", broadcast at 17: 20, disappoints him too, with just 18 of audience share. The game "dance floor", moderated by Laurence Boccolini and aired between "Secret story" and "Star academy", he caught feet in the carpet: with 17.7 of audience share, the issue should not reappear soon.

Titles that are poorly

But more that these developments, the victims of the school are historical entertainment programs: with 23.6 of the public Friday last (or 5 million viewers), the seventh edition of the "Star Ac'" spades of the nose. And falls far tops frequented by first "academics", that attracted six years up to 13 million people. "The method Cauet", which peaked up to 42 share of hearing in 2006, somewhere now between 21 and 23. These two programs, said, may even disappear from the grid 2009-2010.

In this difficult context, dogs are released and the press to give heart joie: of course, very surprising when "Marianne", usual media troublemaker, said: "the ghost of PPDA haunts Ferrari." But the chain has what tricks by discovering that "TV 7 days" title: "the end of the Star Ac'", while "Le Parisien" dare, for the same show: "A large margin of improvement" and that "TV 2 weeks" placed on its cover: "Laurence Ferrari: why it doesn't work.". Because the public family and popular of these three general circulation newspapers is other than that of TF1. Almost a betrayal, in short. In any case, the expression of a stall between the chain and its public. Consequence: A freeze in the posture of the besieged Citadel, focusing on a defensive policy

a strategy of failure. When it does not associate the two, in a manner of enigmatic tango.

An example "Second Chance". By allocating a budget of EUR 30 million to this series of 180 episodes, TF1 has been daring: he is betting big on a French fiction, at a time when public swear by American series, which made "a very quick, choppy writing, flux", analysis on the KR media agency. From this point of view, is "Second Chance" a revolution Almost... but not quite. As frightened by its own financial daring, TF1 does not seem to be gone after his strategy of failure. While the plot takes place in an advertising agency where professional morals are revealed of unusual ferocity, the heroine, her children teens, the course of history... seems all swim in a world of laughing and demulcent.

"Provide cues."

But it is true that, in the troubled context, blurred, hearings and media fragmentation, Laurent Storch has set a course of conduct editorial. Best, a philosophy: "Provide guidance to the TV audience." Clearly, give regular and memorized appointments Monday and Thursday of the fiction, Tuesday a feature... Furthermore, from time to time, orchestrating events of great magnitude, the image of the "Enfoirés", "Miss France" or the "NRJ Awards", which translate each time by real jackpots in terms of hearing... For little in given the means, the one is able to organize fifteen per year. With all the same, a flat size: the cost of this type of program, invariably flies over the million of euros. "Finally, continues, continue to offer familiar faces." The woven emotional link between these celebrities for years and the public easier, because it is easier to install a new game, a new concept with a known host. "An Angel arises on the shoulder of Laurence Ferrari, new faces come precisely make... a new type of television news. Dodging the comment "I am not Director of information, see with Jean-Claude Dassier" , the Director of programs of TF1 concedes: "the great real difficulty is to know at what time need to change something that works...". It is a question that I ask myself every minutes.

Tracks for bounce

For all, instill innovation in homeopathic doses, nurturing the viewer along its weeks of memorized programs and well-known faces, continue the same line editorial simply further and more expensive is that the only viable model in the current context According to the professionals, the answer could be in school annotation: "Necessary but not sufficient." Can go even further.

His side, Philippe Bailly, consultant and President of NPA, identifies three runways, improperly followed by the one. First, the most obvious, but also the less revolutionary: "TF1 can seek to preserve its ability to ultrafédératrice chain, remain able to aggregate large audiences, choosing to focus his energy on the busiest timeslots, between 6 p.m. and midnight." Which involves the orchestration of major sporting events, the distribution of fiction of prestige and many of us series... "A glance on the grid of programs back on the new General conditions of sale of TF1 advertising is sufficient to check that the chain is part of this logic: morning screens prices will be decreased by 15.7 per cent for the months of January and February 2009 and those of the day fall by 4.8, then that"in the first part of night. "", there will be some adjustments on the rise between 3 and 4", says Martine Hollinger.

More difficult, however, for the second trail explored by NPA: the establishment of "a logic of advertising coupling between the strings of the same group, a process that works well in radio, but is not yet so used on DTT". The babbling yet as M6 market willingly adds his hearing with that of its subsidiary W9, first string of the DTT free to "less than fifty years", which displays 5.4 of audience share. But the one has juror, wooden cross, iron cross, when it acquired 40 of TMC: it will always sell only and a ban to negotiate with the Board of its subsidiary because it is considered "in abuse of a dominant position due to 15 of the advertising market" it holds, said Martine Hollinger. "A concern", admits in the corridors of TF1, without to comment on the hypothesis that the string discuss the subject with the public authorities.

Arises finally a third way, perhaps the most promising: "could obtain other sources of income, resumed Philippe Bailly, by diversifying its activities". By capitalizing on its brand, its credibility and reputation, the image of M6 and M6 Mobile subsidiary. Or by searching for external growth relay, as M6, always, purchaser of the commerce site online Mistergoodeal. In this field, TF1 undoubtedly marked a point by taking the advertising Board of the strategy of local television, ultraciblées, of which 40 are on the free TNT, and in preparing to double the last in January 2009 with the Board of the independent radio. Demonstrating once again, if necessary, that it is easier to pushing the advertising strategy to curb the heavy ship of the channel programs.