Early returns from ACNielsen for the four new French-language specialty channels range from satisfactory to superb, with market share data for the 18+ demographic coming in at a low of .5 for 24-hour headline news service Canal Nouvelles (lcn) to a high of 1.7 for all-animation channel Teletoon.

The figures represent the percentage of all viewers in a specific market watching television over a given period of time.

Canal Vie, Teletoon (French), lcn and contemporary adult channel MusiMax went to air Sept. 8.

Normand Chaisson, partner and executive media buyer, PNMD Communication, says the new channels have been ‘eager’ to chase business, bringing healthy competition to the relatively moribund Quebec tv market.

‘Buyers have more options and, as a result, the conventional networks have to be sharper’ he says. With more French-track options, Francophones are watching more French tv and that, he says, ‘augurs well for the years ahead.’

Francine Marcotte, buying-unit director for Cossette Communication-Marketing in Quebec City, says Teletoon is the clearly the top new specialty in both the French and English tv markets, drawing children, teens as well as adults, with a eye-opening 2.6 share of the 2+ market.

To put that figure into context, Discovery Channel’s best share to date in the English-language market has been about 2.

Hilary Firestone, vice-president of network marketing and promotions with Teletoon in Toronto, says the service is commercial free until 8 p.m., after which up to 12 minutes of commercial airtime is available.

‘Basically, advertisers have been targeting the family through the mother,’ she says. ‘Packaged goods, food, manufacturers, the entertainment industry, movies. But we are starting to get more people on board who are looking to directly target adults, 18 to 49, for themselves.’

Canal Vie is watched primarily by 25 to 54 year olds, with a decided skew to women, says Francine Marcotte, while MusiMax, a broadcast partnership between Radiomutuel and Toronto’s CHUM Group, is also drawing the 25 to 54 segment. Media buys are rarely based on the 18+ audience share, says Marcotte, except in the case of the all-news channels, Reseau de l’Information (rdi) and Canal Nouvelles (lcn).

lcn differs from rdi in that it is a continual headline news service while rdi’s programming includes extended magazine, documentary and interview shows. rdi attracts a sizable number of 55+ viewers, says Marcotte, while lcn ‘is more mass, but less upscale’ than its Radio-Canada-backed competitor.

Natural health and beauty products and associated retail outlets like Bio Actif, Naturiste and Sante Naturelle are typical of lifestyle channel Canal Vie’s on-air advertisers, says Charles Jean Sucsan, public relations director at Canal Vie.

Market share, all day, Monday to Sunday, for the (18+ franco) demographic during the launch period Sept. 8 to Nov. 9 is as follows: Canal Vie, 0.6; Meteomedia 0.5; MusiMax, 0.5; MusiquePlus, 0.4; rdi, 3.1; Reseau des Sports, 2.7; Teletoon (F), 1.2; documentary and entertainment channel Canal D, 1.7; kids’ channel Canal Famille, 1.2; and Canal Nouvelles, 0.5.