M6 pushes access prime

The biggest challenge ahead of French broadcaster M6 next season will be to fine-tune its access primetime in the face of huge competition, its programming chief has said.

M6 programming director Bibiane Godfroid told radio station Europe 1 that Les Reines du Shopping, which launched at 16.30 on June 10, will be renewed for next season, as its performance is improving week and week.

The show, from Hervé Hubert Production, is an adaptation of Turkish makeover format Shopping Monsters.

As reported by C21, M6 will also introduce a French adaptation of Britain’s Best Bakery, produced by Shine France, although Godfroid declined to give a broadcast time.

She added that despite lower audiences, Come Dine With Me, currently scheduled at 17.30, will continue in the fall along with magazine show 100% Mag at 19.00. Both will be revamped.

“It takes a long time to find the good shows for access primetime, so we are testing new formats and producing pilots,” Godfroid said.

Access primetime in France became more competitive this season because of the success of talkshow Touche Pas à Mon Poste on Canal+ DTT channel D8.

TF1 and M6 have also been forced to start original programming earlier, because of growing competition from DTT nets NRJ12 and W9. These air reality series Les Anges de la Téléréalité and Les Ch’its respectively, which are often scheduled as early as 16.30 with several episodes airing back to back.

At the beginning of the year, TF1 extended its 17.30 strand, which was featuring either Four Weddings (ITV Studio France) or Four In A Bed (Coyote), starting it at 16.30, with both shows scheduled one after the other.

M6 followed the move a few weeks ago with the French version of Shopping Monsters.