Goodbye to Cyril Hanouna: A Media Saga Unfolds
Well, well, well! Grab your popcorn, ladies and gentlemen, because the drama of Cyril Hanouna and Canal + has reached a new crescendo worthy of a soap opera. A dozen years of shaking things up in the media landscape, and now, it’s all come crashing down like a poorly arranged set of props!
The Parisian has reported that the Canal + group, led by the infamous Vincent Bolloré, is waving goodbye to Hanouna. After enduring more than 7.5 million euros in fines for his antics—like a kid in a cookie jar who just can’t behave—it’s no wonder they’re jumping ship!
From Media Darling to Controversy Magnet
Cyril Hanouna burst onto the scene, boasting over 1.2 million viewers daily with his flashy, often chaotic style. Initially, he brought light-hearted banter about media life, only to plunge us into the turbulent waters of politics. He turned his show into a veritable circus that made even the most seasoned politicians leap through hoops to appeal to the “popular audience” he claims to champion.
Our esteemed media historian, Claire Sécail, uncovered that over 53% of Hanouna’s airtime was devoted to far-right candidates. I mean, if you’re going to be a buzz machine, don’t be surprised when the bees you attract come with a sting!
C8: A Channel in Peril
But hold your horses, folks! C8, Hanouna’s home, is facing a ticking clock with a deadline set for February 2025. With Canal + firmly adhering to an apolitical stance and other networks potentially reluctant to take on Hanouna’s brand of chaos, what’s this flamboyant host to do? It’s like trying to find a venue for your avant-garde one-man shoe puppet show in a world of traditional theaters!
It’s not looking good, as TF1 and M6 prefer to sidestep the Hanouna tornado. Even Delphine Ernotte from public service praises his abilities as a presenter, yet there’s hardly a spot waiting for him! Who knew the world of television could be so cutthroat?
The Digital Frontier: Hanouna’s New Playground?
Now let’s talk digital. With a power-packed social media presence boasting nearly 6 million followers, Hanouna has his eyes set on the virtual horizon. He’s not just dipping his toes into the digital pool; he’s thinking of diving headfirst! There’s talk of creating a platform to showcase his archives while maintaining that oh-so-irresistible connection with his audience. “My darlings, I love you, I miss you!”—just imagine the flock of followers eager to revel in this parasocial love fest!
But don’t get too excited! Migration to the digital realm is a tricky dance, fraught with risk. As we saw with the likes of BrutX, even big dreams can flop quicker than a poorly executed joke at a stand-up night. Can he avoid the pitfalls others faced? Perhaps he can take a page from the playbook of Dieudonné and carve out a digital niche while touting increasingly radical views, but will that play out in his favor?
As tensions build, the channel director clings to his connection with Hanouna, while the man of the hour is poised for a showdown. Regardless of how it all shakes out, Hanouna’s potential leap from traditional television to the lawless expanse of the digital Wild West will certainly signal a new epoch in our media landscape.
Wrapping Up: A New Era or a Fading Star?
So, what’s next for Cyril Hanouna? Will he soar to new digital heights or fizzle out like last week’s news? Whatever the outcome, one thing is for sure: this saga is far from over. Stay tuned, folks! It’s bound to be a wild ride!
Everything starts from an everyday investigation The Parisianthe newspaper announces the end of the collaboration between the Canal + group owned by Vincent Bolloré and the host producer Cyril Hanouna, after twelve years of good and loyal service. The end of an idyll because of the escapades of the host, whose slippages have been repeatedly condemned by Arcom, the media regulatory authority. More than 7 and a half million fines accumulated in 8 years and a few months ago, a non-renewal of the frequency for the C8 channel, which will have to close by the end of February 2025. Unless the council of The State which was seized decides otherwise within a few weeks.
Cyril Hanouna has shaken up the early evening shows, he brings together more than 1.2 million viewers every day, originally his proposal was devoted to the life of the media, then his editorial line became politicized and more in addition, ultra conservative figures benefited from high visibility on its set. Media historian Claire Sécail conducted a study between September and December 2021 and found that Cyril Hanouna devoted 53% of his airtime to far-right candidates. A show that builds audiences, creates permanent buzz and attracts politicians from all sides who think they will find here a way of speaking to a popular audience, an audience claimed by the host.
But now C8 is threatened and according to The Parisianthe other channels of the group are not ready to welcome it, Canal Plus sticks to its apolitical line and Star must comply with important musical content obligations. And outside the Bolloré galaxy, the possibilities are slim, TF1 hosts the competing show via TMC Daily. We don’t see it on public service even if Delphine Ernotte praises her talents as a presenter and for M6 it would be too great a risk for the sustainability of its advertising revenue.
What form could this digital platform take?
Yes, knowing that Cyril Hanouna has a detailed knowledge of the digital world, he carefully scrutinizes each of his publications on his Twitter/X account where he is followed by nearly 6 million people. He has completely embraced the codes of social networks, understood how algorithms work to make his television sequences viral moments and he maintains a sensitive, precious, even carnal link with his community, based on “my darlings, I love you, I miss you…” Like influencers, it fully nourishes the para-social relationship, with a promise of authenticity.
He therefore said to himself that he could bring all these little people into his home, on a platform which could both promote his archives and continue to make live broadcasts by existing through social networks and the web. A migration not so obvious because this movement requires a strong investment and others have failed, such as the media Brut which for a time wanted to launch a BrutX platform before closing 18 months after its launch. I also think of the experience of Dieudonné who found on Youtube a land of exile to continue to unite a community while making increasingly radicalized remarks.
In the meantime, the channel director of the Canal + group has affirmed his unwavering bond with his star and the main person concerned should speak this evening. But this potential departure from the PAF to the digital Wild West of this controversial personality would definitely mark a new era in our media landscape.
