What does the future hold for the French media landscape? At a time when the very existence of public broadcasting is being called into question on the political stage, traditional media outlets seem to be (finally) undergoing a digital transformation. With the planned end of digital terrestrial television, the rise of streaming platforms, the proliferation of digital media and disintermediation, the changes are profound.
In a world saturated with information, where the attention economy reigns supreme, the traditional players are pulling out all the stops… to survive. Content creators, once perceived as illegitimate, have become real levers for strategic action to reinvent themselves. While television leads the way, other media are also organising themselves to attract these ‘influencers’ and turn them into profiles capable of capturing a young, dynamic and engaged audience. This dual interest allows digital talents to gain legitimacy and financial stability by diversifying their income, knowing that the success of a few hides a large majority in difficulty.
Conversely, some major figures in French audiovisual heritage are choosing to launch themselves on digital platforms. This is particularly the case for Samuel Etienne, who has no more than a million followers on Twitch and who left France Télévisions last April after 17 years to ‘retain his freedom’. Others are advocating a rapprochement between two worlds that seem to be polar opposites, launching their own channels while continuing to present television programmes, such as Claire Chazal, Elise Lucet and Jamy Gourmand.
A past to forget
From worst enemies to best friends. Now highly sought after, content creators were long despised by the small screen. A clash caused quite a stir in November 2017 when Squeezie, a guest on the ‘T’es qui toi ?’ segment of the programme Salut Les Terriens, was subjected to a few contemptuous comments and questions from Thierry Ardisson. The man in black then said to the YouTuber, who now has more than 11.5 billion views: “You’re a genius because your job is to film yourself playing video games and people watch you play, and because there are adverts, you earn money. […] Is eating pizza also a job?” While this clash caused quite a stir, it raised awareness throughout the media sphere of the generation gap that exists in access to information and entertainment. A November 2024 report published by the INJEP (Institut national de la jeunesse et de l’éducation populaire) shows that social media is the primary source of information for 15-30 year olds, with 53% getting their news from there. Conversely, 60% of those over 30 access the news via television news programmes.
But how can we explain this shift? This change in positioning can be explained in particular by the lack of legitimacy long suffered by creators. Historically, video makers were not considered ‘professional’ journalists, comedians or presenters. But their success has changed everything. The success of their content stems from their ability to capture attention and build loyalty, something that television struggles to achieve. By offering genuine editorialised and ritualised series, certain digital personalities have adapted the codes of television of yesteryear to the era of constant channel hopping. This historic reversal is transforming the media environment, which is moving from a vertical model, where television called the shots, to a horizontal model of collaboration, co-creation and format adaptation, making digital platforms the new gatekeepers.
Where bloggers were once mocked, they are now courted. Television has realised that it can no longer ignore those who shape the digital conversation. Radio is also following suit, as exemplified by Radio Mouv’, launched by Radio France in 2015, which its CEO, Sibyle Veil, describes as her ‘Trojan horse’ for targeting young people.
Creators: bridges between two worlds
If creators are so highly prized by traditional media today, it is above all because they are the spokespersons for the TikTok generation. This mass of individuals who get their news and entertainment on their phones must be successfully redirected to television, even if it seems old school to them. According to the latest Arcom study, in 2024, 15-24 year olds spent an average of 5 hours and 21 minutes a day watching videos, including barely an hour watching free live television, half as much as ten years ago. Faced with this freefall, there is a sense of urgency. To prolong television audiences, the gamble is to rely on these trusted figures who understand digital codes, to make them understandable to the general public. In search of a new lease of life, the old television set wants to modernise its image and reconnect with viewers. This is the case, for example, with the M6 group, which has chosen to propel YouTuber Juju Fitcats onto the screen since 2023. She recently stated that she did not want to stop YouTube, and now appears in four programmes: La France a un incroyable talent, Traîtres, 99 à battre and Nouveau Jour.
The recent third (and final) edition of ‘GP Explorer’, organised by Squeezie and broadcast for the first time on France Télévisions, illustrates this strategic positioning of traditional channels to capture a new audience. With programming worthy of a major sporting event, as it usually broadcasts, the French public audiovisual group has brought together players from both worlds, successful streamers, journalists and commentators. With more than 1.3 million simultaneous viewers on Twitch, 1.2 million viewers on France 2, and 200,000 people present at the Bugatti circuit in Le Mans, the event broke all records. It was a successful gamble for France Télévisions, which reached a total of 6.7 million French viewers across all screens, from the qualifying rounds to the post-race podium.
This transformation is not limited to the presence of web stars on screen. Behind the scenes, audiovisual groups have radically redesigned their structures to produce content designed from the outset for digital and social media. This has led to the emergence of social studios, which are fully-fledged digital production units integrated within the major media outlets. France Télévisions, for example, has created France TV Slash, a 100% digital media outlet aimed at 15-35 year olds, designed for platforms rather than linear broadcasting. Meanwhile, TF1 Factory, Canal+ Brand Factory and Brut Factory combine editorial content with brand partnerships.
These studios reflect a major shift: traditional media outlets are no longer content to simply adapt their programmes for the internet; they are now producing content according to digital codes. There is also an economic aspect to this shift, as creators are becoming drivers of advertising rejuvenation by offering brands better targeting, thereby enabling channels to increase their CPM (cost per thousand).
A revolution in usage that is struggling to take hold
Despite the strategic reorientation of certain television channels, audiences are struggling to really take off at the moment. The generational divide seems difficult to bridge between individuals accustomed to scrolling on their phones and others more inclined towards long, editorialised programmes.
Hugo Travers, known as ‘Hugo Décrypte’ and the most famous digital journalist of the younger generation, has been offering his flagship intimate interview format, L’Interview Face Caché, on France TV since October 2023. For his first episode, Hugo Décrypte welcomed astronaut Thomas Pesquet, broadcast after the 1 p.m. news, attracting 1.85 million viewers, or a 15.9% audience share. However, this result should be qualified, as the format does not seem to find its audience when it is not broadcast after the news.
Faced with these audience difficulties, television channels are now focusing on a more data-driven approach, inspired by digital practices. Editorial teams, historically guided by editorial intuition, now rely on measuring online engagement, viewing times and virality to adjust their programming. This data-driven approach is profoundly transforming audiovisual production: success is no longer measured solely by live audiences, but also by cumulative reach across all screens and platforms. Content creators, already familiar with this approach, are therefore ideal partners.
Hybrid formats redesigned for digital
In order for television to truly rely on digital creators, it must adapt to them. Hybridising content and formats will thus make it possible to define a space of convergence between ‘old media’ and ‘new media’. Inviting a web veteran in the hope of absorbing their audience, without changing the format, is not appropriate. The success of Studio Bagel, a YouTube channel with nearly 4 million subscribers, acquired by CANAL+ in 2014, is due to the successful integration of the YouTube collective into the pay-TV channel. Studio Bagel has established itself on CANAL+ thanks to the suitability of the broadcast window, the target audience and the channel’s positioning. The success of short, ritualised formats, such as Hot Ones and Les Kassos, and the industrial integration of programmes explain the audience figures. The myCANAL and YouTube gateway extends the audience and attracts a new audience.
The flagship programme Danse avec les stars, broadcast on TF1 since 2011, was adapted into Danse avec les stars d’Internet in 2024, meeting with great success. Won by streamer Domingo, the programme was broadcast simultaneously on Twitch and TF1, capitalising on a young audience. Influencers were thus placed at the heart of the programme, which was reconfigured and adapted to digital codes. Unlike some presenters or journalists who gain popularity over time, creators rely on measurable popularity. This is another asset for the strategic transformation of traditional media.
Finally, the end of the linear television model is leading to collaboration between television and digital platforms. With the gradual abandonment of the flow logic, programmes are no longer designed for a single live broadcast, but for on-demand consumption. Recent distribution alliances between TF1 and Netflix, then France TV and Amazon Prime, follow this dynamic. As audiences become multi-channel, content is now guided by a three-pronged approach of live broadcast, replay and excerpts. Audiences complement each other and no longer cannibalise each other.
With the line between news and entertainment now thinner than ever, content creators have become the new spearheads of traditional media in recent months.
spearheads of traditional media. So, in a world of fake news and declining trust in the media, one question remains: can this hybridisation, which is necessary for survival, be achieved without compromising the reliability of information?
By Cyprien Luquiau
