On April 18, 2025, the French television landscape showcased a variety of programs, with audiences reflecting the ongoing trends of viewership in the country. Despite the typical Friday dip in television audiences, many shows managed to maintain stable market shares, indicating a consistent interest among viewers.
In the pre-access segment before 8 p.m., TF1's popular soap opera, Ici tout commence, attracted 1.89 million viewers, securing a 17.9% audience share. Meanwhile, M6's game show, La roue de la fortune, garnered 775,000 viewers with a 10.8% market share. These figures illustrate the competitive nature of the French television landscape, where each network strives to capture the attention of the audience.
As the clock approached 8 p.m., the game show N’oubliez pas les paroles surged in popularity, drawing in 2.66 million viewers and achieving a 19.9% audience share. This increase can be attributed to the impressive performance of contestant Natacha, who recently climbed to the 18th spot among the best maestros. Following closely behind was TF1's Demain nous appartient, which managed to attract 2.05 million viewers and a 16.4% share, securing its place as a favorite among evening viewers.
France 3's evening news edition, Ici 1920, informed 1.99 million viewers, translating to a 15% share of the television audience. Meanwhile, M6's culinary competition, La meilleure boulangerie de France, saw a decline, with only 1.01 million viewers and a 9.1% market share.
As the evening progressed, the 8 p.m. news segment on TF1, presented by Audrey Crespo-Mara, remained the clear leader with 4.59 million viewers and a robust 27.8% audience share. This dominance reaffirms TF1's position as a trusted source of news in France. In comparison, France 2's news edition, led by Laurent Delahousse, attracted 3.58 million viewers, securing a 21.8% share.
On M6, the comedic series Scènes de ménages entertained 2.06 million viewers, capturing 12% of the audience. France 3's soap opera, Un si grand soleil, also saw a slight increase, reaching 2.27 million viewers and a 13.3% share. In contrast, W9's The Power struggled, with only 289,000 viewers, resulting in a mere 1.7% market share.
Turning to talk shows, TMC's Quotidien delivered impressive numbers, starting with 624,000 viewers for Part 1 (4.4% share), followed by 904,000 viewers for Part 2 (5.3% share), and culminating in 1.50 million viewers for Part 3 (8.9% share). This consistent performance highlights the show's ability to engage audiences across multiple segments.
France 5's C à vous had a mixed performance, with Part 1 attracting 601,000 viewers (4.7% share) and Part 2 drawing in 564,000 viewers (3.4% share). Similarly, 28 minutes on Arte managed to reach 706,000 viewers, resulting in a 4.2% share. Earlier in the day, C dans l’air on France 5 performed well with 992,000 viewers and a 12.2% share, indicating a strong interest in current affairs.
As the weekend approached, the audience dynamics remained a focal point of discussion among television executives and analysts alike. The fluctuations in viewership on Friday evenings are a well-documented trend, often attributed to various factors including competing programming, viewer fatigue, and seasonal changes in audience behavior.
Looking ahead, the Saturday edition of TF1's news program, JT 13h WE, presented by either Anne-Claire Coudray or Audrey Crespo-Mara, is expected to continue this trend of solid viewership. The program aims to highlight regional, national, and international news, catering to a diverse audience eager for informative content.
In conclusion, the audience figures from April 18, 2025, demonstrate a resilient French television market, where established programs continue to draw loyal viewers while newer formats seek to carve out their niche. As networks adapt to changing viewer preferences, the competition for audience attention will likely intensify, promising an engaging landscape for television in the months ahead.
