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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: 22.09.2023 - older versions

DAB+ digital terrestrial radio continues to roll out across France. With its arrival in towns such as Bayonne, Besançon, Brest, Clermont-Ferrand, Metz, Nancy and Pau, this summer DAB+ passed the symbolic milestone of covering 50% of the French population. A trial has also been underway in Martinique since January. With the continued roll-out of national antennas between October 2023 and March 2024, more than 60% of the population will be covered by DAB+ by early 2024.

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. An overseas trial has also been licensed in Martinique.

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

Le Bon Mix announces expansion in Switzerland on DAB+

22.02.2024 - digris AG WorldDAB Member - France - Switzerland

As part of a drive to broaden its horizons, Toulouse-based radio station Le Bon Mix, whose chairman is Pierre Denjean from Cadur, is announcing its expansion into Switzerland via DAB+ broadcasting in the cities of Geneva and Neuchâtel, covering an area of more than 1.3 million inhabitants. "The introduction of DAB+ in Switzerland is an important step for Le Bon Mix, but we're keeping a close eye on the reactions of our new audience and are ready to adapt," said Denjean. Broadcasting is entrusted to the Swiss company DIGRIS via two transmitters in Yverdon/Neuchâtel and two transmitters to cover Geneva, with outdoor listening possible as far as Annecy, as well as in the Arve Valley as far as Chamonix.

(Medialot) Read more

100 new DAB+ transmitters across France

14.02.2024 - France

Throughout 2023, network operator TDF worked to deploy 100 new DAB+ transmitters at 70 sties across mainland France. Through this effort, more than 55% of French citizens have access to DAB+ digital radio signals and more than 550 radio stations broadcast using the technology in the country. “2023 marks an essential milestone for DAB+, with more than one in two French people now able to listen to the radio thanks to this technology,” stated Karim El Naggar, General Director of Audiovisual and Networks at TDF. “I congratulate … the TDF teams, who, through their expertise and professionalism, enabled the deployment of a very large number of transmitters in a very short time.”

(Radio World) Read more

Several international organisations are calling for radio to remain accessible to all

13.02.2024 -

- France

In an appeal published on Tuesday 13 February, some 15 international organisations representing the media and manufacturers are calling for radio to remain "accessible to as many people as possible", with the emphasis on the car, where it must be "unmissable". Radio is "a compass in a changing world", say the signatories on World Radio Day. They include the European Broadcasting Union, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, WorldDAB (promoting digital radio), an association of manufacturers and broadcasters, and UNESCO. They all say they are "firmly convinced that radio must remain accessible to as many people as possible, wherever and however they receive it", through "terrestrial broadcasting networks, which are still necessary for the majority of listeners in the world", and "online access, which is just as democratic and open".

(RFI) Read more

Roch-Olivier Maistre at the Paris Radio Show: "More than ever, radio needs to pull together"

07.02.2024 - France

We reproduce in full the opening speech given by Roch-Olivier Maistre, Chairman of Arcom, on Tuesday morning at 11am at La Bellevilloise in Paris on the first day of the Paris Radio Show. "Another technological innovation is opening up new prospects for the sector we share: I'm talking, of course, about the roll-out of digital terrestrial radio, or DAB+. We all know the advantages of DAB+: improved listening comfort, a revitalised radio landscape (since radio is a supply medium), a lower environmental impact than FM or Internet listening, and no risk of disintermediation for the players."

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio) Read more

Roch-Olivier Maistre opens Paris Radio Show 2024

07.02.2024 - France

"Another technological innovation is opening up new prospects for the sector we share: I'm talking, of course, about the roll-out of digital terrestrial radio, or DAB+. No fewer than 555 services have been authorised, and more than 60% of the population of mainland France should be covered by this broadcasting standard by the end of March. The increase in coverage is accompanied by a growing awareness of DAB+, including among public authorities, thanks to the work of the promotional association and an active communications campaign. We can finally hear people talking about DAB+ on social networks, in the corridors of the Paris metro and in several major French cities! We should be delighted about this and continue our collective efforts to go further, faster and stronger with the general public and opinion leaders, including distributors and equipment manufacturers."

(Arcom) Read more

Crooner Radio is betting on DAB+ more than ever

07.02.2024 - France

Building on its image and its lead, Crooner Radio is now attracting its first audiences, which are being snapped up by advertisers and partners such as Aston Martin and Live Nation. It is also developing its podcast production activity, digital radio and the implementation of a "new economy for the radio medium". On Tuesday 6 February, the Crooner Radio team, led by Jean-Baptiste Tuzet, was at the Paris Radio Show at La Bellevilloise "to present its reinvention of radio advertising". Crooner Radio, which now has DAB+ coverage in France's biggest cities, is delighted with this positive impetus from major players in favour of digital radio.

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio) Read more

Digital terrestrial radio: working together for DAB+

31.01.2024 - France

To help as many people as possible discover the advantages of DAB+ technology, the "Ensemble pour le DAB+" association, with the support of the French Ministry of Culture, is launching a major national communications campaign from 29 January 2024. Digital terrestrial radio or "DAB+" is gradually being rolled out across France. Every year, new transmitters are brought into service to provide ever finer coverage of the country. By March 2024, 26 national radio stations will be available to over 60% of the French population. In total, more than 550 radio stations are already broadcasting on DAB+.

(Arcom) Read more

DAB+ for 60% of the population

31.01.2024 - France

DAB+ digital radio is much less widely available than digital terrestrial television (DTT), and even less well known to the general public, but it is nevertheless continuing to roll out in France. Telecom and audiovisual watchdog Arcom has just announced that 60% of the French population will soon be covered by DAB+, thanks to the commissioning of 108 new transmitters. Next March, at the end of the second deployment phase, 26 national radio stations will be accessible to more than 60% of the French population, bringing the total number of stations broadcast on DAB+ to more than 550. By summer 2023, 50% of the population of mainland France was covered by DAB+. To raise awareness of DAB+ among the general public, the association "Ensemble pour le DAB+" (Together for DAB+), which was set up in 2022, yesterday launched a major national communications campaign with the support of the Ministry of Culture.

(News Day.FR) Read more

DAB+, the unknown

31.01.2024 - France

By the end of March, DAB+ will cover more than 60% of the French population, but only 17% are familiar with the technology. To make up for this, the association "Ensemble pour le DAB+" (Together for DAB+), set up in 2022 on the initiative of the Bureau de la Radio, Radio France and SIRTI, is announcing the launch on 29 January of its first campaign aimed at the general public. Conceived by the Bronx agency and orchestrated by Medialist, the communication will be based around a common spot broadcast on a massive scale by all the radio stations belonging to the association, whether private, public, local or national.

(CB News) Read more

Digital terrestrial radio campaigns for the general public

30.01.2024 - France

From major radio stations to new entrants, there are already more than 550 radio stations available on DAB+. It is often presented as the radio of the future. Starting this week, this new technology is being given its first publicity campaign. Supported by the Ministry of Culture and orchestrated by the Ensemble pour le DAB+ association (Bureau de la radio, Sirti, Radio France), the campaign includes billboards in the Paris metro and several major French cities, radio adverts, promotion on social networks, etc. "The aim is to achieve at least the same level of coverage as FM, between 80% and 90% of the population, within the next few years," says Hervé Godechot, chair of the working group.

(Le Figaro) 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