Has social networks delayed television? Not completely, or in any case not for all age groups. In 2025, despite the development of digital platforms, the small screen remains the pillar of information in France. This is, in any case, what an international survey conducted by the Marco Agency reveals with more than 4,500 consumers in seven countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Mexico and Brazil.
According to the study, the consumption of global media focuses on three players: WhatsApp, YouTube and television. In France, television leads to the head with a frequency of use of 11.8 %, ahead of YouTube (10.6 %) and WhatsApp (10.5 %). Social networks such as Facebook (9.8 %) and Instagram (9.8 %) complete this ecosystem, creating a “hybrid environment” where tradition and digital coexist.
The importance of television in France
However, television remains an essential tool to reach a large intergenerational audience. Despite the growth of digital media, it retains a central role in the dissemination of information. This position is explained by its massive reach and its perceived credibility, especially with greater generations that continue to trust it.
Therefore, the most reliable means are considered, with a confidence score of 6.7 of 10, while YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram mainly seduce a younger and younger audience. In a second step, the media specialized or focused on the text, such as LinkedIn (4.2 % assistance), the written press or Twitter/X (4 % assistance), play a more secondary role, but offer significant added value in specific contexts where the credibility and information authority is essential.
Very present false information
But this half -omnipresence is accompanied by a great challenge: misinformation. More than three out of four French (76.6 %) say they have been exposed to false information in the last six months. If countries such as Portugal (85 %) and Spain (84 %) consult a very active report of this content, France and Germany are distinguished by a more marked skepticism. A significant number of French respondents (241 in the study) claims to have identified false information, reflecting the prudence and difficulty in discerning the true of the false ones.
“These results show that brands, institutions and the media must redouble their efforts to provide transparent and verifiable information, adapted to the habits of the media of each country. In a context in which citizens recognize having been exposed to false information, confidence becomes the new currency into communication,” says David Martín, responsible for relations with Marks and Media in a framework.
Therefore, this double dynamic (solid television and the increasing use of the digital) shapes a complex but structured means. For information professionals regarding the general public, participation remains the same: remain informed in a context where information circulates quickly or very quickly, and where surveillance against deceptive content is more necessary than ever.
Source: BFM TV
