Performance

Operational Indicators

2014-2015 RESULTS – French SERVICES

As shown by its overall performance, Radio-Canada continued to engage Canadians with a high-quality lineup and distinctive homegrown programming in 2014-2015. However, some indicators, in particular those revenue-related, fell short of the levels projected at the start of the year.

ICI Radio-Canada Première and ICI Musique recorded a combined share of 21.4%, peaking at an all-time high of 21.7% in fall 2014. The result for the year is above target and consistent with 2013-2014’s record performance at 21.5%. At 19.2%, the annual audience share for ICI Radio-Canada Première’s morning shows was almost on target.⁽¹⁾

ICI Radio-Canada Télé’s prime-time audience share of 19.8%16F⁽²⁾ is in line with the annual target, despite fierce competition in the French-language market throughout the year. The network capitalized on a high-quality program schedule, featuring returning favourites that regularly drew over one million viewers each week (19-2, Les enfants de la télé, Les pêcheurs, Mémoires vives, Tout le monde en parle and Unité 9),⁽²⁾ new shows that were well received by audiences (La théorie du K.O., Le Ti-mé show and Nouvelle adresse) and signature events that brought Canadians together such as the comedic year-end review Bye Bye 2014, which broke its own historic mark with a viewership of 3.94 million on December 31, 2014.⁽²⁾

In the specialty channel market, the combined audience share for the year came in at 4.8%⁽²⁾, slightly below target. This result can be attributed to a combination of factors such as the drop-off in ICI RDI viewership during summer 2014.

In news and current affairs, the average weekly minute audience for the 6 p.m. regional newscasts was under target. In winter 2015, consumption of supper-hour newscasts was lower than in previous years – such as winter 2014, which had been affected by the Charbonneau Commission and the Quebec provincial election.

Yet, for their part, Radio-Canada's digital platforms continued to benefit from changes in news consumption habits. The average number of unique monthly visitors to all Radio-Canada sites and to ICI Radio-Canada.ca regional web pages exceeded the annual target. The content developed for the following events drew especially large audiences: the Quebec election, the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, the tragedies in Moncton, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and Ottawa, the crash landing in Halifax, and the student protests.

For the second year in a row, ICI EXPLORA subscriber totals exceeded the established target. The channel continued to grow, boosted by an enhanced lineup, various profile-raising initiatives and wider distribution. As for ICI RDI and ICI ARTV, both services performed below expectations. ICI RDI suffered the impact of dwindling subscriptions to conventional television services (cable and satellite), while ICI ARTV’s performance was impacted by the downward adjustment of data provided by a third party, the growing popularity of custom cable packages, and the emerging cord-cutting trend.

Lastly, self-generated revenue fell short of its annual target as a result of the persistent decline in the Francophone advertising market, particularly for conventional television. Digital advertising revenue generation also continues to pose a number of business challenges for the industry as a whole. Meanwhile, Radio-Canada continued to pursue its revenue diversification strategy. In 2014-2015, our overall advertising revenue decrease was partly offset by higher revenue from content licensing activities and services to independent producers.

PERFORMANCE TABLE – FRENCH SERVICES

• (1)Source: Numeris (BBM Canada), diaries, average of spring and fall 2014 surveys, Francophones, 12 years +.
• (2)Source: Numeris (BBM Canada), Portable People Meter (PPM), Quebec Franco (specialty channels: Quebec Francophones who subscribe to a television distribution services), 2 years +.