RDS is full of excitement right now.
Frédéric Plante and Yanick Bouchard, lifelong friends, are experiencing difficult times?
For years they have been the faces of 5 à 7 on the airwaves of RDS, a sports program that, despite its quality content, has struggled to capture the public's attention.
Although they dominate the audience by a significant margin compared to their direct competitor, Jean-Charles Lajoie's show, their audience numbers remain disappointing and stagnate at just an average of 36,000.
Viewer ratings JiC vs Le 5 à 7 (excerpt from @DLCoulisses) ➡️ pic.twitter.com/jcgzVoXM98
— Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) January 23, 2024
Rumors are circulating in the corridors of RDS as insidious as poison: the duo could be separated, a drastic decision dictated by the broadcaster's economic constraints. Especially because they dominate their competitors so easily.
Congratulations to Martin Lemay, who gets the best ratings on BPM Sports (ouch), and to the RDS 5 à 7 team, who dominates the competition with more than 95%. And the gap keeps getting bigger…does it feel like an end?
— Michel Villeneuve (@lederniervrai) February 14, 2023
It is a heavy blow for Frédéric and Yannick. They are more than a professional team, they are long-time friends, brothers in arms in the media sector. But the danger of a separation hangs over their heads like the sword of Damocles.
And then there is this other dimension to consider: the employment of Yannick Bouchard at 98.5 FM. With this added strength, will RDS decide to keep Frédéric Plante as sole host? The discussions behind the scenes are intense, fueled by uncertainty and financial pressure.
It's a moment of truth for these two men, confronted with the harsh reality of a media industry in crisis.
Traditional media is reeling under the weight of technological change and new consumption patterns. RDS has not been spared from this economic storm and the specter of unemployment hovers over everyone who visits its studios.
Their rock-solid friendship is tested in the face of this professional turmoil. They are like an old married couple, constrained by the burden of a decision that lies beyond them. Will they be able to overcome this ordeal and remain united despite the headwinds that complicate their careers?
The night stretches out before them, dark and uncertain as they ponder the future with anxiety. Whatever the outcome of this saga, one thing is certain: Frédéric Plante and Yanick Bouchard are forever linked by bonds that go far beyond the constraints of the professional world.