France Presidential Race: Why TV's 8 PM News Still Dominates Over Social Media

In France's political landscape, the evening television news broadcast continues to hold sway over social media, defying expectations about the digital age's impact on public discourse.

Major news programs, such as TF1's 8 PM bulletin, consistently draw millions of viewers, averaging 4.83 million nightly. This figure significantly surpasses the reach of platforms like Instagram or X, which, while serving as echo chambers, do not represent the broader French population. The enduring power of television was underscored when Raphaël Glucksmann announced his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election on TF1's flagship news program.

This strategic choice by Glucksmann, following similar appearances by Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Marine Tondelier, highlights a prevailing belief among political hopefuls: television remains the most effective venue for reaching a wide and diverse audience. While social media platforms are often discussed as influential spaces, their actual impact on political opinion and engagement is increasingly being questioned by experts.

Researchers Flora Chanvril and Luc Rouban from Cevipof have concluded that 'social media does not make politics.' Their findings suggest that despite the perceived omnipresence of online platforms, traditional media, particularly the 8 PM news, remains the indispensable stage for serious political communication and candidate launches in France.

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Social media does not make politics