Médiamétrie: French Radio Landscape Shifts as France Inter Sees Decline, RTL and Europe 1 Rebound in Autumn 2025

Overall Trends in French Radio Audiences

Médiamétrie has released its latest radio audience figures for the September-October 2025 period in France, indicating a notable shift in listenership dynamics. The study, conducted from September 1 to October 26, 2025, surveyed 24,027 individuals aged 13 and over. The overall trend shows a continued decline in radio listenership across the country, with the medium losing approximately one million listeners over the past year, bringing the total to 36.8 million daily listeners. The cumulative audience has seen a 2.4-point decrease year-on-year, and the average listening time has slightly reduced from 2 hours 48 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes.

France Inter's Dominance Softens

Despite the overall decline, France Inter maintains its position as the most listened-to radio station in France. However, the latest figures reveal a significant erosion of its audience. The station's cumulative audience (AC) now stands at 11.9%, a decrease of 0.9 points compared to the previous year. Its audience share (PDA) has also fallen to 13.4%, marking a 1.7-point drop. This represents France Inter's first back-to-school period with a downward trend in four years. The station still attracts a substantial 6.7 million daily listeners. Analysts suggest that the departure of Léa Salamé from the morning show may have contributed to this instability.

RTL and Europe 1 Experience Significant Rebounds

In contrast to France Inter's dip, RTL has shown a strong resurgence, described as 'finding its smile again'. The private station gained 148,000 listeners over the past year, achieving an audience cumulée of 8.9% and a significantly increased part d'audience of 11.5%. This positive trajectory has allowed RTL to narrow the gap with France Inter. The success is attributed, in part, to a revamped schedule featuring personalities such as Thomas Sotto, Julien Courbet, and Laurent Ruquier. RTL now boasts 5 million daily listeners.

Europe 1 also confirmed its recovery, posting an audience cumulée of 4.9%, an increase of 0.5 points, and a part d'audience that rose by 0.9 points, marking its best performance in eight years. The station's improved figures are largely supported by collaborations with CNews and the 'effect' of Pascal Praud, which has boosted afternoon listenership. The morning show, led by Dimitri Pavlenko, is also reported to be settling in well with audiences.

Other Stations and the Broader Landscape

The Médiamétrie report also highlighted performances from other stations. France Info experienced a loss of 76,000 listeners, though it saw a slight increase in its part d'audience. Nostalgie secured the third position in part d'audience with 5.5%, while RMC and NRJ both registered 5.4%. Notably, Radio Nova showed a surprising progression of 0.7 points, and both Fun Radio and Europe 2 recorded slight increases in their listenership. The overall landscape suggests a period of recomposition within French radio, with established leaders facing challenges and several challengers gaining momentum.