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Last update: 04.07.2024 - older versions

Arcom White Paper on Radio

The result of more than 30 hearings and consultations with the main players in radio, Arcom has published its White Paper on the future of radio in France, which provides a broad overview of the sector and its economic, legal and technical aspects, as well as changes in usage.

The White Paper on Radio was presented by Roch-Olivier Maistre, President of Arcom and by Hervé Godechot, Arcom member and chairman of the Radio and Digital Audio working group, at the Assises de la radio 2024 conference on Tuesday 18 June at the Arcom headquarters in Paris.

Arcom is proposing a two-phase trajectory, aiming to achieve predominantly digital broadcasting by the end of 2033 and requiring the mobilisation of the entire ecosystem:

• Phase 1: Preparation (2024-2027): Establishing a balanced radio ecosystem within a legislative and technological environment that facilitates continued digitisation under optimal conditions.

• Phase 2: Migration (2028-2033): Completing a market-initiated transition to a digital broadcasting model, six years after the preparation phase and nine years after the publication of the White Paper in 2024.

The transition will require regulation, metrics, planning, marketing and then resources.

DAB+ : a structural choice for the radio industry

Launched in 2014 in Paris, Nice and Marseille, DAB+ is now seen as critical to contribute to the future of radio and to address the saturation of FM. It is a means to preserve diversity and plurality. As DAB+ is reaching a turning point, the regulator, Arcom, is launching in 2023 a consultation with the radio industry which will include the switchover from FM to DAB+ both in the metropolitan area and overseas. The economics of radio are a key element of the expected white paper, as well as the potential acceleration of the deployment.

Deployment of DAB+

On 12 October 2021, France launched two new national multiplexes broadcasting 26 DAB+ stations, including national services from Radio France, leading private broadcasters and four new national services. The new multiplexes are broadcast along the major motorway corridors of Paris-Lyon-Marseille. The 26 services include four new DAB+ only stations and 22 stations that are also broadcast in FM. Extension to more main roads and highly populated areas is planned for the end of 2023. These 26 radios are in addition to the hundreds of radio stations already available regionally and locally on DAB+

The CSA rollout plan, the so-called "nodes and arcs strategy" described in 2017, which also includes continued regional and local rollouts alongside the launch of national services, was updated in 2021.

Arcom says that "In total, it is expected that 17 multiplexes, extended or local, will have started broadcasting during the summer of 2023. At the end of these start-ups, the coverage of the metropolitan population by DAB+ will exceed 50%."

French DAB+ Broadcast Networks Factsheet

A new factsheet on DAB+ digital radio in France has been produced for automotive manufacturers, as the country achieves over 50% DAB+ population coverage.

The factsheet from WorldDAB - the global industry forum for DAB digital radio - was produced as part of the work of its Automotive Working Group, in partnership with network operator TDF, and RadioDNS which promotes hybrid radio.

France DAB+ Broadcast Networks

Receiver legislation

Older pieces of legislation in France related to DAB+ in cars have been superseded by the transposition in November 2020 of the EECC into French legislation. This law passed the last stage and was made official in December 2020, with the transposition of the EECC into French law officially published on 28 May 2021. Domestic receivers, for which the reception function of radio services broadcast is not purely incidental, and have an alphanumeric screen, must be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio. Discussions are ongoing to make DAB+ mandatory in all receivers.

Last update: 06.01.2025 - older versions

DAB+ digital terrestrial radio continues to roll out across France. With its arrival in 2023 in towns such as Bayonne, Besançon, Brest, Clermont-Ferrand, Metz, Nancy and Pau, in summer 2023 DAB+ passed the symbolic milestone of covering 50% of the French population. A trial has also been underway in Martinique since January 2023, and La Réunion since March 2024.

Regulator Arcom announced that "In December 2024, more than 62% of the population of mainland France was covered by DAB+, compared with 50% at the end of 2023."

In December 2021, the French media regulator CSA, published an updated DAB+ roadmap highlighting DAB+ developments plans for the 2022-2024 period.

According to the new roadmap, calls for applications will be launched for 50 local allotments in that period of time – these primarily concerned the cities of Dijon, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes, Caen, Nancy, Paris, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Poitiers and Toulouse.

Last update: 22.09.2023 - older versions

In this country there are

on air.

French DAB+ Broadcast Networks Factsheet

A new factsheet on DAB+ digital radio in France has been produced for automotive manufacturers, as the country achieves over 50% DAB+ population coverage.

France DAB+ Broadcast Networks

Please note:

(a) These web pages are updated regularly to reflect current services on air, however they may not be exactly up to date.

(b) The logos shown on these pages are for illustrative purposes only – manufacturers and broadcasters are directed here for information on implementing station logos.

An interactive map showing all services currently on air in France, as well as those licensed to go on air, can be found at: Ma radio DAB Plus - CSA - Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel.

	Simulcast on AM / FM	Exclusive on digital	Total of services
DAB+ programmes	358	102	460

Last update: 18.07.2024 - older versions

In France, as of H2 2023, 98% of new cars sold are equipped with DAB+ as standard (Source: JATO Dynamics 2023).

Last update: 05.02.2021 - older versions

Receiver legislation

In December 2018 DAB+ coverage reached 21.3% of the French population, which triggered a law requiring that all radio receivers (including in-car) sold in France be compatible with the broadcasting standards (ie DAB+). This 2018 law was amended in June 2020 to align with the EECC deadline of 20 December 2020.

In November 2020, the French parliament voted in favour of a law to transpose the EECC into French legislation. This law passed the last stage and was made official in December 2020, enabling the government to take a final decree which is expected by early 2021. The decree will confirm that new passenger cars in France will be required to include digital terrestrial radio from 20 December 2020, in line with the EECC. Additional obligations regarding consumer receivers have yet to be agreed and may also be included in that decree enacting the EECC.

More detailed information is in the WorldDAB EECC Factsheet.

Last update: 04.07.2024 - older versions

La Réunion: Arcom has authorised two trials of DAB+ radio broadcasting in Saint-Denis from March 1, 2024.
La Martinique: trial authorised since January 2023 ; three sites in Martinique and 11 stations: Radio Fusion, Fusion 100 % Infos, Fusion Compas, Fusion Salsa Kl@moson, Fusion Gold, Maknet Jazz, Mixx FM Martinique, Radio Évangile Martinique, Radio Actif Martinique, Identité Radio and Martinique La 1ère.

Last update: 04.07.2024 - older versions

DAB+ regulation in France is outlined on the French Media regulator's website.

Arcom's annual report

Arcom's White Paper on the future of radio

Last update: 04.07.2024 - older versions

Ensemble pour le DAB+

“Ensemble pour le DAB+” is an association created in 2022 on the instigation of the Bureau de la Radio, Radio France and SIRTI, with the aim of setting up and coordinating communication and marketing actions around the development of DAB+, both nationally and locally. The French Ministry of Culture is a partner of the Association.

The first global campaign took place in January 2024. The objective was to raise awareness of DAB+; the reach was 70% of the French population over 13 years old with a 1000 audio spots played during a week. It was completed by a social media campaign and a billboard campaign in the Paris metro, outdoors in the Ile-de-France region and in Nantes, Strasbourg, Lyon and Lille.

DABplus.fr

The website DABplus.fr was set up to summarise the deployment of DAB+ in France. It is paid by and for stakeholders of DAB+ in France. www.DABplus.fr

‘La Grande Musique’ on DAB+ in Paris soon

04.12.2024 - France

Here's some great news for classical music fans. Arcom has just selected the new 100% classical music radio station, ‘La Grande Musique’, to broadcast its programmes on DAB+ in the Paris Ile-de-France region very shortly, and soon also in Blois, Châteauroux, Nevers and Niort, which will add to an already well-established presence on the Côte d'Azur and the Basque Coast. ‘Paris frequencies are rare and precious, so I'm immensely grateful to be able to offer listeners in the capital privileged access to this universal musical heritage: classical music,’ explained Emmanuel Rials, founder of the radio station. Broadcast on DAB+ in Monaco on the Côte d'Azur and on FM on the French and Spanish Basque coasts, it is about to cross a new threshold with its entry into the French capital.

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio) Read more

Radio Orient strengthens its broadcasts with 15 new zones

02.12.2024 - France

Radio Orient is continuing to expand with the award of 15 new FM and DAB+ broadcasting areas, announced by Arcom on 27 November 2024. These extensions will enable the station to cover strategic territories while offering optimised sound quality and an enhanced listening experience for listeners.

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio) Read more

The future of digital at the heart of debates at the Maison de la Chimie

01.12.2024 - France

On 28 November, the Maison de la Chimie in Paris hosted the 4ᵉ Colloque Avenir de la TNT, with a focus on key issues such as UHD, DAB+, technological innovation and content accessibility. As far as radio is concerned, the roll-out of DAB+ was presented as an essential development, necessitating the gradual switch-off of FM in order to guarantee the economic viability of stations. During the conference, Hervé Godechot, member of the Arcom College and chairman of the Radio and Digital Audio working group, stressed that the transition to all-digital - DAB+ and IP - is essential to preserve the sovereignty of the link between radio and its listeners, while renewing the terrestrial listening experience.

(Smart Integrations mag) Read more

The future of radio in France lies with DAB+

25.11.2024 - France

At the WorldDAB Summit in Zagreb, Hervé Godechot presented the Arcom White Paper, which sets out an ambitious roadmap for bringing French radio into a fully digital era through the roll-out of DAB+. This action plan aims to modernise the sector while ensuring a balance between technological innovation and accessibility for all listeners.

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio) Read more

4 readers tested DAB+ digital radios

25.11.2024 - France

Our readers have all confirmed that the benefits of digital are worth taking the plunge: quality sound, no interference, selection of stations by name and no longer by frequency and more stations compared to FM depending on your geographical area. They tested 4 DAB+ and FM compatible radios around €100. Verdict!

(Femme Actuelle) Read more

DAB+ digital radio trials rolled out on Réunion

19.11.2024 - Réunion - France

DAB+ now covers 62.2% of the population of mainland France. To give Réunion's radio stations a chance to familiarise themselves with this technology and to give the public a first taste of the advantages of DAB+, particularly sound quality, Arcom has decided to authorise a number of trials on Réunion. The trial, which began on 1 March, has already enabled more than twenty radio stations to be heard on DAB+. This experiment now marks a new stage in its roll-out, with the arrival of the Réunion La 1ère and France Inter stations on DAB+. Trials on Réunion began in March 2024 in the Saint Denis area alone. Since the beginning of November 2024, they have been extended to the south and east of the island (Tampon and Saint-André areas).

(Arcom) Read more

Thirteen new radio stations in Lens thanks to DAB+

16.10.2024 - France

Since 1 October, 13 new radio stations have been broadcasting on DAB+ in Lens and the surrounding area. With the agreement of Arcom, this new transmitter was installed on the initiative of the 13 stations that make up the local multiplex known as ‘BLAD’ (Béthune, Lens, Arras, Douai).

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio) Read more

Maëlo Seuret becomes Executive Director of the ‘Ensemble pour le DAB+’ association

11.10.2024 - France

‘Ensemble pour le DAB+’ announces the appointment of Maëlo Seuret as Executive Director of the association. His role will be to structure the association's development and support the growth and communication of DAB+. The ‘Ensemble pour le DAB+’ association was created in 2022 on the initiative of the Bureau de la Radio, Radio France and SIRTI, with the support of the French Ministry of Culture.

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio) Read more

FG launches FG DANCE

07.10.2024 - France

On 1 October, FG launched FG DANCE, the new Dance/EDM radio station to replace DanceOne. The station will be broadcast in four DAB+ areas: Paris-IDF, Marseille-Aix-en Provence, Nice-Cannes, and Bordeaux-Bassin d'Arcachon. Maison FG offers a radio bouquet of 4 programmes on DAB+: - RADIO FG, present in almost 120 towns and cities, in addition to its network of 35 FM frequencies; FG CHIC, the lounge and nu disco radio station, present in Paris, Monaco, Nice, Berlin, Hamburg and Ibiza (FM & DAB); MAXXIMUM, the radio of electronic discovery, broadcast in Paris and the Ile-de-France region; and FG DANCE, with a Dance/EDM format.

(Maison FG) Read more

Divergence FM abandons its FM frequency in favour of DAB+

07.10.2024 - France

Divergence FM, Montpellier's flagship community radio station since it was founded in 1987, has taken a decision that marks a turning point in the history of the media: to be the first to leave FM and devote itself entirely to digital broadcasting. The move, seen as bold and surprising, raises questions about the future of local radio and the challenges of digital broadcasting.

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio (€)) Read more

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Key Information

Status:	regular
Population:	65.2 million
Population coverage:	54.8%
Services:	460 DAB+
Line-fit automotive sales (cumulative):	6,346,000 devices
New cars with DAB/DAB+ as standard:	98%
Total Sales (cumulative):	8,394,000 devices
Penetration by household:	13.7%
Last update: 18.07.2024