In 2024, the French continue to spend several hours a day in front of their screens, averaging 4 hours and 23 minutes according to Médiamétrie! This trend remains relatively stable compared to 2019, where – due to COVID – there had been significant spikes in consumption. However, it’s interesting to examine – quite literally – their viewing habits.
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Traditional Television Remains Predominant
Despite the rise of streaming platforms and social media, traditional television still holds a central place in the hearts of the French. In 2024, nearly two-thirds (64%) of daily video time was spent watching conventional television, with only one-third (36%) dedicated to on-demand content through platforms like Netflix, YouTube, or traditional channels’ replay services. One might wonder how streaming on a TV is categorized?
“Today, 92% of French households have at least one smartphone, and nearly 40% of TV program video consumption on digital screens at home is done in non-live*. To reflect these new habits, Médiamétrie has, over the past year, expanded its measurement scope to include 100% of households in France, even those 10% without a television.”
The Rise of Replay and Streaming Platforms
Replay platforms, especially france.tv, TF1+, and M6+, continue to draw a broad audience. Eight out of ten French people accessed them at least once a month. On average, the French spend about 10 minutes per day watching on-demand programs on these services, whether they are original content, reruns (replay), or programs available before their televised broadcast (preview).
The last quarter of 2024 saw a 10% increase in traffic to replay platforms, with 11.6 million French people engaging with at least one on-demand program per day. This trend highlights a significant shift in behavior: more and more users are opting to control when they watch their favorite content, taking advantage of the flexibility offered by these platforms.
Laurence Deléchapt, director of TV & Cross-media at Médiamétrie, pointed out that choosing when to watch content is becoming a customary practice among the French
, a trend further confirmed by the continuous growth in the audience of replay platforms.
Finally, it was hard to overlook the major event of 2024: the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The opening ceremony of the Olympics gathered 24.4 million viewers, including replays, setting a historic record for television viewership in France. Additionally, the televised debates related to the legislative elections also drew significant attention, with 23.2 million French tuning in, proving that live television still has a strong ability to engage audiences, especially for major events.
An Evolving Media Landscape
The evolution of the French media landscape continues, with upcoming changes in the channel numbering on digital terrestrial television (TNT). Starting June 6, 2025, some channels like C8, NRJ12, and several Canal+ group’s pay channels will disappear from TNT, a change that could disrupt viewers’ habits.
These adjustments are expected to create new dynamics in media consumption in France. The video consumption patterns of the French in 2024 reflect the ongoing transformation of the media landscape, where traditional television continues to dominate, but streaming and replay platforms are gradually gaining ground.